UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  PUBLICATIONS 


COLLEGE  OF  AGRICULTURE 

AGRICULTURAL  EXPERIMENT  STATION 

BERKELEY.  CALIFORNIA 


REPORT  OF  LIVE  STOCK  CONDITIONS  IN  IMPERIAL 
COUNTY,  CALIFORNIA 


BY 


CHESTER  L.  ROADHOUSE  and  FRED  M.  HAYES. 


Short-horn  Cattle  in  Imperial  Valley. 


BULLETIN  No.  219 

(Berkeley,  Cal.,  June,  1911) 


SACRAMENTO 

W.  W.  SHANNON      -      -      -      -      SUPERINTENDENT  OF  STATE  PRINTING 

1911 


Benj.  Ide  Wheeler,  Ph.D.,  LL.D.,  President  of  the  University. 
EXPERIMENT   STATION    STAFF. 

E.  J.  Wickson,  M.A.,  Director  and  Horticulturist. 

E.  W.  Hilgard,  Ph.D.,  LL.D.,  Chemist   (Emeritus). 

W.  A.  Setchell,  Ph.D.,  Botanist. 

Leroy  Anderson,  Ph.D.,  Dairy  Industry  and  Superintendent  University  Farm  Schools. 

M.  E.  Jaffa,  M.S.,  Nutrition  Expert,  in  charge  of  the  Poultry  Station. 

R.  H.  Loughridge,  Ph.D.,  Soil  Chemist  and  Physicist   (Emeritus). 

C.  W.  Woodworth,  M.S.,  Entomologist. 

Ralph  E.  Smith,  B.S.,  Plant  Pathologist  and  Superintendent  of  Southern  California 

Pathological  Laboratory  and  Experiment  Station. 
G.  W.  Shaw,  M.A.,  Ph.D.,  Experimental  Agronomist  and  Agricultural  Technologist,  in 

charge  of  Cereal  Stations. 

E.  W.  Major,  B.Agr.,  Animal  Industry,  Farm  Manager,  University  Farm,  Davis. 

F.  T.  Bioletti,  B.S.,  Viticulturist. 

B.  A.  Etcheverrt  B.S.,  Irrigation  Expert. 

George  E.  Colby,  M.S.,  Chemist  (Fruits,  Waters  and  Insecticides),  in  charge  of 
Chemical  Laboratory. 

H.  J.  Quayle,  A.B.,  Assistant  Entomologist,  Plant  Disease  Laboratory,  Whittier. 

W.  T.  Clarke,  B.S.,  Assistant  Horticulturist  and  Superintendent  of  University  Exten- 
sion in  Agriculture. 

H.  M.  Hall,  Ph.D.,  Assistant  Botanist. 

C.  M.  Haring,  D.V.M.,  Assistant  Veterinarian  and  Bacteriologist. 
John  S.  Burd,  B.S.,  Chemist,  in  charge  of  Fertilizer  Control. 

E.   B.   Babcock,  B.S.,   Assistant  in  Agricultural  Education. 
H.  A.  Hopper,  M.S. A.,  Dairy  Industry,  University  Farm,  Davis. 
W.  B.  Herms,  M.A.,  Assistant  Entomologist. 

J.  H.  Norton,  M.S.,  Assistant  Chemist,  in  charge  of  Citrus  Experiment  Station,  River- 
side. 
W.  T.  Horne,  B.S.,  Assistant  Plant  Pathologist. 

J.  E.  Coit,  Ph.D.,  Assistant  Pomologist,  Plant  Diseases  Laboratory,  Whittier. 
C.  B.  Lipman,  Ph.D.,  Assistant  in  Soil  Bacteriology. 
R.  E.  Mansell,  Assistant  in  Horticulture,  in  charge  of  Central  Station  grounds. 

A.  J.  Gaumnitz,  M.S.,  Assistant  in  Cereal  Investigations,  University  Farm,  Davis. 

E.  H.  Hagemann,  Assistant  in  Dairying,  Davis. 

B.  S.  Brown,  B.S.A.,  Assistant  in  Horticulture,  University  Farm,  Davis. 

F.  D.  Hawk,  B.S.A.,  Assistant  in  Animal  Industry. 

J.  I.  Thompson,  B.S.,  Assistant  in  Animal  Industry,  Davis. 

R.  M.  Roberts,  B.S.A.,  Field  Assistant  in  Viticulture,  University  Farm,  Davis. 

J.  C.  Bridwell,  B.S.,  Assistant  Entomologist. 

C.  H.  McCharles,  B.S.,  Assistant  in  Agricultural  Chemical  Laboratory. 
N.  D.  Ingham,  B.S.,  Assistant  in  Sylviculture,  Santa  Monica. 

E.  H.  Smith,  M.S.,  Assistant  Plant  Pathologist. 
T.  F.  Hunt,  B.S.,  Assistant  Plant  Pathologist. 

C.  O.   Smith,  M.S.,  Assistant  Plant  Pathologist,   Plant  Disease  Laboratory,   Whittier. 

F.  L.  Yeaw,  B.S.,  Assistant  Plant  Pathologist,  Vacaville. 
F.  E.  Johnson,  B.L.,  M.S.,  Assistant  in  Soil  Laboratory. 
Charles  Fuchs,  Curator  Entomological  Museum. 

P.   L.   Hibbard,  B.S.,   Assistant  in  Fertilizer  Control  Laboratory. 

L.  M.  Davis,  B.S.,  Assistant  in  Dairy  Husbandry,  University  Farm,  Davis. 

I.  A.  Bonnet,  Assistant  in  Viticulture. 

S.  S.  Rogers,  B.S.,  Assistant  Plant  Pathologist,  Plant  Disease  Laboratory,  Whittier. 

B.  A.  Madson,  B.S.A.,  Assistant  in  Cereal  Laboratory. 

Water  E.  Packard,  M.S.,  Field  Assistant,  Imperial  Valley  Investigation,  El  Centre 

M.   E.   Stover,  B.S.,  Assistant  in  Agricultural  Chemical  Laboratory. 

P.  L.  McCreary,  B.S.,  Laboratory  Assistant  in  Fertilizer  Control. 

F.  C.  H.  Flossfeder,  Field  Assistant  in  Viticulture,  Davis. 

E.  E.  Thomas,  B.S.,  Assistant  Chemist,  Plant  Disease  Laboratory,  Whittier. 

Anna  Hamilton,  Assistant  in  Entomology. 

Mrs.  D.  L.  Bunnell,  Secretary  to  the  Director. 

W.  H.  Volck,  Field  Assistant  in  Entomology,  Watsonville. 

E.  L.  Morris,  B.S.,  Field  Assistant  in  Entomology,  San  Jose. 

J.  S.  Hunter,  Field  Assistant  in  Entomology,  San  Mateo. 

J.  C.  Roper,  Patron  University  Forestry  Station,  Chico. 

John  T.  Bearss,  Foreman  Kearney  Park  Station,   Fresno. 

E.  C.  Miller,  Foreman  University  Forestry  Station,  Chico. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


REPORT  Of  LIVE  STOCK  CONDITIONS  IN  IMPERIAL  COUNTY 

BY 

c.  l.  roadhouse. 

Page. 
ADVANTAGES    OF    IMPERIAL    COUNTY    FOR    LIVE    STOCK    PRO- 
DUCTION     1195 

IMPORTATIONS  OF  LIVE  STOCK  INTO  IMPERIAL  COUNTY 1195 

EXPORTATIONS  OF  LIVE  STOCK  FROM  IMPERIAL  COUNTY 1196 

DAIRYING  IN  IMPERIAL  COUNTY 1197 

DISEASES  OF  CATTLE  IN  IMPERIAL  COUNTY  : 

(a)  Acute  Keratitis 1198 

(b)  Bovine  Tuberculosis 1199 

DISEASES  OF  HORSES  IN  IMPERIAL  COUNTY  : 

(1)  Summer  Sore 1200 

(2)  Chronic  Dermatitis   1206 

THE  SHEEP  AND  GOAT  INDUSTRY  IN  IMPERIAL  COUNTY 1208 

SWINE  RAISING  IN  IMPERIAL  COUNTY 1208 

DISEASES  OF  HOGS  IN  IMPERAL  COUNTY  : 

(1)  Necrotic  Dermatitis  in  Hogs 1210 

(2)  The  Hog  Louse 1214 

(3)  Pigs  Killed  by  Ants 1216 

(4)  Abscesses  in  Hogs 1217 

THE  WATER  SUPPLY  FOR  LIVE  STOCK  IN  IMPERIAL  COUNTY 1218 

REPORT  0E  SPECIAL  INVESTIGATIONS  IN  IMPERIAL  COUNTY 

BY 

F.  M.  Hayes. 

REASONS  FOR  THE  SPECAL  INVESTIGATION 1223 

DISEASES  OF  LIVE  STOCK  NOT  DESCRIBED  IN  THE  PRECEDING 
REPORT : 

(1)  Hog  Cholera 1223 

(2)  Sore  Mouth  in  Pigs 1226 

(3)  Diarrhea  in  Little  Pigs 1227 

(4)  Chronic  Cough  in  Swine 1227 

(5)  Blackleg  in  Calves 1227 

SOME    METHODS    OF    DISINFECTION    FOLLOWING    THE    INFEC- 
TIOUS DISEASES 1228 

SUMMARY    1229 


ACKNOWLEDGMENT. 


We  wish  to  acknowledge  our  indebtedness  to  a  large  number  of  resi- 
dents of  the  valley  for  their  kindly  cooperation,  and  to  Mr.  David  N. 
Morgan,  Instructor  in  Agriculture  in  the  Imperial  High  School,  in 
]  909-10,  for  much  valuable  assistance. 


REPORT  ON  LIVE  STOCK  CONDITIONS  IN  IMPERIAL  VALLEY 


By  Chester  L.  Roadhouse,  D.V.M. 

Imperial  County  is  one  of  the  most  important  stock  producing  sections 
in  the  State  of  California.  The  two  conditions  which  contribute  largely 
to  the  success  of  the  live  stock  industry  in  this  section  are:  first,  an 
abundance  of  good  feed ;  second,  easy  access  to  market. 

The  most  extensively  grown  food  for  stock  in  the  county  is  alfalfa. 
The  warm  climate,  deep,  fine-grained  soil  and  excellent  irrigation  facili- 
ties combine  to  make  an  almost  ideal  condition  for  the  growth  of  this 
plant,  which  is  an  excellent  food  for  all  classes  of  live  stock.  Most  of 
the  improved  land  in  all  parts  of  the  country  is  devoted  to  large  alfalfa 
fields  upon  which  scattered  herds  of  cattle,  sheep  or  hogs  graze.  Barley, 
Indian  corn,  Kaffir  corn,  and  Milo  maize  are  also  grown  to  a  considerable 
extent  as  animal  feeds.  A  very  common  practice  among  hog  raisers  is 
to  plant  barley  early  in  the  fall;  use  it  as  green  pasturage  for  hogs 
during  the  winter;  and  after  it  has  matured  in  the  early  part  of  the 
summer,  the  hogs  are  again  used  for  harvesting.  Barley  combined  in 
this  way  with  green  alfalfa  pasturage  has  given  satisfaction  as  a  feed 
for  hogs  during  their  growing  period. 

The  second  condition  which  contributes  to  the  success  of  the  live  stock 
industry  in  Imperial  County,  that  of  easy  access  to  market,  is  brought 
about  by  the  location  of  the  valley,  only  200  miles  from  an  important 
meat  packing  center  at  Los  Angeles.  The  stock  industry  is  increased 
by  the  fact  that  the  valley  lies  between  this  market  and  the  arid  stock 
ranges  of  New  Mexico,  Arizona,  and  Mexico.  Cattle  are  shipped  into 
this  intermediate  valley  with  its  abundance  of  good  feed,  and  there 
fattened  before  being  sent  on  to  the  Los  Angeles  market.  This  stock- 
fattening  industry  is  rapidly  growing. 

The  following  table,  prepared  from  the  reports  of  the  Imperial 
County  Live  Stock  Inspector,  shows  the  extent  of  the  live  stock  ship- 
ments into  the  valley : 

Importations  of  Live  Stock  Into  Imperial  County. 
June  1,  1909,  to  June  1,  1910. 


Horses. 

Mules . 

Cattle. 

Hogs. 

Sheep . 

Goats. 

June 

40 

17 
43 
6 
34 
66 

437 
22 
65 

103 
27 
45 

140 

2,408 
423 

2,015 

500 

July 

8 

1         50 

August 

s 

September 

228 

i,064 
1,655 
2,494 

171 
1,461 

178 
1,247 

886 
1,923 

5 

97 
2 

""166"" 
4 

October   

November 

i       296 

102 

i       237 

117 

20      

December    ___ 

January 

8,611      

February    

!         78 

March 

37 



April    

May 

;       118 

9 

1    1,600      



Total   

;    1,320 

1,005 

13,910 

208 

12,246 

500 

1196 


UNIVERSITY  OF   CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION. 


It  will  be  noted  from  the  above  table  that  a  large  number  of  horses 
have  been  shipped  into  Imperial  County.  They  are  being  used  for  work 
and  for  breeding  purposes.  Mules  are  the  most  satisfactory  for  farm 
use  during  the  hot  summer  weather.  Of  the  13,910  cattle  shipped  into 
the  county  during  the  year  covered  by  the  above  table,  the  greater  part 
of  them  are  cattle  shipped  into  the  alfalfa  section  for  fattening,  to  be 
sent  on  later  to  the  Los  Angeles  market  for  beef.  The  hogs,  sheep  and 
goats  sent  into  the  valley  are  used  almost  entirely  for  breeding  purposes. 


'    "~4     vv.:;\ 

■     ._       " 

Fig.  1. — Alfalfa  field  for  fattening  beef  cattle. 

The  extent  of  the  sales  of  live  stock  from  Imperial  County  as  a  result 
of  animals  raised  in  that  section,  as  well  as  those  shipped  into  the  valley 
for  the  purpose  of  fattening,  is  shown  from  the  following  data  supplied 
by  the  transportation  company : 

Number  of  Car  Loads  of  Live  Stock  Shipped  From  Imperial  County. 
January  1,  1909,  to  April  30,  1910 — Calendar  year  1909. 


Station. 

Horses. 

Cattle. 

Sheep. 

Hogs. 

Total. 

Bern  ice . 

13 
183 

41 
206 

22 
127 

13 

Brawley - 

11 
4 

15 

105 
6 
5 

202 

2 
41 
13 
25 
26 

211 

Oalexico           

191 

El    Centro    __    _ 

225 

TIeber    

1 
1 

53 

Imperial __ 

356 

Total __      ____.___._ 

17 

333 

107 

592 

1,049 

January  to  April,  inclusive,  1910. 


Brawley    

21 
64 
26 
2 
36 

""64" 
8 
__. 

34 
6 
61 
15 
20 

55 

Calexico    __  _    _ 

11 

145 

El    Centro    _      __      

95 

Eeber _  . 

17 

Imperial    

3 

62 

Total    

14 
31 

149 

482 

75 

182 

136 

728 

374 

Grand  total  

1,423 

Bulletin  219]       IMPERIAL  COUNTY  LIVE  STOCK  CONDITIONS. 


1197 


DAIRYING  IN  IMPERIAL  COUNTY. 

The  dairy  industry  is  rapidly  developing.  It  is  reported  that  there 
are  15,000  dairy  cows  in  the  valley.  The  dairy  owners  are  receiving 
good  returns  for  their  product.  Since  feed  grows  here  throughout  the 
entire  year  the  high  market  in  winter  does  not  materially  affect  the 
industry  in  this  valley  because  of  the  available  pasturage. 

Dairying,  as  a  business  in  Imperial  County,  is  not  well  conducted. 
The  dairy  methods  and  equipment  in  general  are  far  from  what  they 
should  be  for  the  manufacture  of  a  high-grade  product.  It  would  not 
be  possible  to  produce  market  milk  for  city  supply  under  the  conditions 


Fig.  2. — Milk  house  at  C.  M.  Co.'s  ranch,  Calexico. 


that  prevail.  There  are  very  few  milking  stables  where  the  animals  can 
be  properly  secured  during  milking  and  sheltered  from  the  hot  sun  in 
summer,  and  there  are  few  milk  rooms  where  the  milk  and  cream  can 
be  well  handled.  Corral  milking  is  a  common  practice,  and  under 
Imperial  conditions  is  one  from  which  clean  milk  can  not  be  obtained. 
Good  milk  must  be  clean.  Dairy  cows  should  not  be  milked  out  of 
doors  where  they  can  lie  in  manure  and  where  the  manure  dust  is 
allowed  to  blow  into  the  milk  bucket  during  milking.  Bacteria  which 
enter  the  milk  with  manure  in  this  way  bring  about  by  their  growth  and 
multiplication  the  most  objectionable  changes  in  the  milk. 

There  are  three  creameries  operating  in  Imperial  County.  These  are 
located  at  Imperial,  El  Centro,  and  Brawley.  The  daily  output  of 
butter  for  the  month  of  June,  1910,  follows : 

Imperial  creamery 4.000  pounds. 

El    Centro   creamery 2.000  pounds. 

Brawley  creamery 1,000  pounds. 


1198  UNIVERSITY   OF    CALIFORNIA— EXPERIMENT   STATION. 

In  addition  to  the  manufacture  of  3J  tons  of  butter,  there  is  a  daily 
shipment  of  800  pounds  of  cream  from  Imperial  to  Los  Angeles. 

There  are  three  breeders  of  pure-bred  cattle  in  the  valley,  but  the 
general  milk  supply  is  produced  largely  from  the  average  grade  of 
Shorthorn,  Holstein,  and  Jersey  cows. 


Fig.   3. — Herd  of  pure  bred  Jersey  cattle  near  Heber. 

INVESTIGATION  OP  ANIMAL  DISEASES  IN  IMPERIAL  COUNTY. 

Various  diseases  of  live  stock  had  been  reported  as  being  present  in 
Imperial  County,  and  this  was  the  reason  for  conducting  this  investiga- 
tion of  live  stock  conditions  in  the  valley.  The  following  diseases  of 
live  stock  were  found  present : 

DISEASES  OF  CATTLE. 

I.     Acute  Keratitis  {inflammation  of  the  cornea  in  cattle). 

This  disease  was  found  on  several  ranches  in  Imperial  County,  and  is 
incorrectly  known  among  stockmen  as  "Pink  Eye."  The  disease  is 
characterized  by  extreme  sensitiveness  of  the  affected  eye.  It  is  usually 
closed,  with  a  profuse  flow  of  tears  and  a  disposition  to  resist  opening 
of  the  lids.  When  exposed,  the  cornea  is  seen  to  be  more  or  less  clouded. 
One  or  both  eyes  may  be  affected.  The  extensive  inflammation  of  the 
eye  may  develop  to  the  formation  of  pus  between  the  layers  of  the 
covering  of  the  eye,  and  to  the  formation  of  an  ulcer,  or  even  to  a 
perforation  of  the  ball  and  the  escape  of  the  fluid  of  the  eye. 

Cause.  Wounds  by  foreign  bodies,  spikes  of  vegetables,  blows  of 
whips,  or  insects,  stings,  etc.,  have  been  known  to  cause  this  condition. 
It  may  also  be  the  extension  from  acute,  enzootic,  infectious  conjuncti- 
vitis, as  has  been  noticed  by  a  great  many  observers,  and  this  would  be 
expected  to  be  the  cause  of  the  cases  seen  in  Imperial,  from  the  fact  that 
where  the  disease  was  present  in  the  valley  there  was  usually  more  than 
one  case. 

Treatment.  In  treating  diseases  of  the  eye,  some  special  knowledge 
is  necessary  for  the  best  results.  It  is  possible,  however,  for  the 
unskilled  to  get  good  results  in  treating  this  disease  if  the  treatment  is 


Bulletin  219]       IMPERIAL  COUNTY  LIVE  STOCK  CONDITIONS.  1199 

applied  in  the  first  stages.  The  first  symptom  is  a  simple  inflammation 
of  the  eye,  and  at  that  time  a  saturated  solution  of  boracic  acid,  dropped 
into  the  eye  three  or  four  times  daily,  will  prove  beneficial.  Pyoktannin, 
1 :  1000  solution  is  also  recommended. 

II.     Tuberculosis. 

The  following  information  has  been  furnished  by  Mr.  D.  N.  Morgan, 
formerly  instructor  in  agriculture  in  Imperial  High  School: 

Large  numbers  of  dairy  cows  have  been  shipped  into  Imperial  Valley  during  the 
past  two  years.  Many  of  them  come  from  herds  whose  reputation  for  healthfulness 
has  been  questionable. 

The  passing  of  city  and  county  ordinances  in  some  of  the  neighboring  counties 
prohibiting  the  sale  of  milk  from  tuberculous  animals  has  encouraged  dairymen  to 
get  rid  of  their  suspicious  animals  at  any  price.  That  some  of  these  animals  have 
tuberculosis  is  evidenced  by  the  recent  losses  some  of  our  hog  dealers  have  encoun- 
tered on  account  of  the  frequency  of  tuberculosis  in  swine.  One  hog  buyer  refuses 
to  purchase  hogs  fed  on  skim  milk  from  dairies.  Another  buyer  recently  had  a  third 
of  a  car  load  condemned  at  the  abattoir  on  account  of  being  tuberculous.  With  the 
above  facts  in  mind,  an  endeavor  has  been  made  to  find  out  what  percentage  of  the 
dairy  cows  already  in  the  valley  have  tuberculosis. 

In  April,  1910,  the  University  of  California  offered  to  make  tuberculin  tests  for 
dairymen,  free  of  charge.  The  dairymen  were  asked  to  pay  only  for  the  materials 
used  and  for  actual  breakage.  About  twenty  owners  of  herds  requested  that  their 
animals  be  tested.  Of  this  number  seven  of  the  largest  herds  were  tested.  It  was 
first  intended  to  test  all,  but  for  reasons  mentioned  later  in  this  paper  that  work 
had  to  be  indefinitely  postponed,  much  to  the  regret  of  the  writer. 

The  first  herd  tested  consisted  of  seventeen  cows.  They  had  been  in  the  valley 
about  a  year  and  a  half  when  tested,  and  were  the  first  pick  from  a  bunch  of  some 
two  hundred  that  were  brought  in  by  one  of  our  leading  cattle  buyers.  All  of  these 
seventeen  were  found  free  from  tuberculosis.  This  herd  was  located  in  the  Mesquite 
Lake  region. 

The  next  bunch  of  thirty-nine  head  consisted  of  two  herds  brought  together  to 
facilitate  testing.  One  cow  from  the  herd  of  fifteen  gave  a  typical  reaction  and  three 
cows  from  the  other  twenty-four  were  found  to  be  affected.  These  animals  had  all 
been  brought  in  from  one  of  the  coast  counties  two  years  previously. 

Three  grade  Holsteins  were  next  tested.  They  were  found  free  from  the  disease. 
One  of  them  came  from  the  outside,  the  others  being  raised  in  the  valley. 

A  dairy  herd  of  twenty-four  head  was  next  tested.  One  of  this  bunch  was  found 
with  the  disease.  She  was  a  well  developed  heifer  with  her  first  calf  and  had  been 
purchased  near  Pomona  some  fourteen  months  previously. 

A  large  dairy  on  the  east  side  was  next  visited.  Fifty-six  animals  were  here  tested, 
every  one  of  them  passing  the  test  without  a  single  reactor.  This  herd  had  been 
purchased  in  Orange  County  some  two  years  before.  Since  the  test  these  cows  have 
been  sold  for  eighty-five  dollars  per  head.  On  this  dairy  ranch  a  large  number  of 
hogs  were  turned  off  annually.  Many  of  them  are  fattened  exclusively  on  skim  milk 
from  these  cows  and  the  owners  reported  that  they  have  not  up  to  date  had  any 
hogs  condemned. 

Sixty-five  cows  near  Brawley  were  next  tested.  Of  this  bunch,  four  were  found 
diseased.  One  was  a  bull  that  had  been  bought  outside  the  valley  when  a  calf.  The 
owner  having  changed  his  herd  in  the  past  so  often  was  unable  to  recall  the  original 
homes  of  the  other  diseased  animals.  However,  they  had  been  shipped  in  from  the 
outside.  This  last  test  was  conducted  the  fore  part  of  July.  The  thermal  conditions 
at  that  time  were  such  that  before  the  test  was  completed,  nine  thermometers  were 
broken  by  heat.  This  breakage  was  due  to  the  fact  that  the  atmospheric  tempera- 
ture was  some  ten  degrees  higher  than   the   instruments  were  graduated  and   the 


J  200  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA— EXPERIMENT    STATION. 

breakage  took  place  in  the  interval  between  temperatures.  Most  of  the  temperatures 
were  taken  at  night. 

Under  the  circumstances  it  seemed  advisable  to  postpone  the  other  testing  until 
fall  or  winter.  It  would  then  not  only  be  easier  on  the  cattle,  but  on  the  operators 
as  well. 

All  of  the  above  reported  tests  were  made  in  the  usual  way,  two  preliminary 
temperatures  and  five  subsequents,  and  in  suspicious  cases  seven  of  the  latter. 
Standard  doses  of  tuberculin  were  injected,  the  animals  either  tied  or  stanchioned 
and  every  precaution  taken  to  have  the  tests  reliable. 

The  board  of  supervisors  of  Imperial  County  on  hearing  the  preliminary  reports 
of  the  small  percentage  of  tuberculosis  disclosed  by  the  above  tests  very  wisely  passed 
an  ordinance  prohibiting  the  importation  of  dairy  cattle  that  had  not  been  officially 
tested  for  tuberculosis.  This  is  the  first  step  toward  ultimately  ridding  the  valley  of 
the  disease.  The  supervisors,  county  veterinarian,  and  dairy  inspector  should  be 
given  assistance  in  the  enforcement  of  the  above-mentioned  ordinance.  For  when  the 
time  comes  that  the  Imperial  Valley  dairy  products  are  guaranteed  free  from  tuber- 
culosis, the  demand  will  be  so  great  that  prices  offered  will  be  unlimited.  Our  milk- 
fed  hogs  will  no  longer  be  discriminated  against,  and  every  resident  of  the  valley  will 
be  benefited  by  the  prosperity. 

From  the  above  data  furnished  by  Mr.  Morgan  it  appears  that  the 
dairy  cows  in  the  Imperial  Valley  are  not  affected  with  tuberculosis  as 
extensively  as  are  the  dairy  animals  in  many  other  portions  of  the  State. 

Total  number  of  cows  tested 204 

Total  number  of  cows  reacting 9 

Per  cent  of  reactions 4.4 


DISEASES  OF  HORSES. 

I.     Summer  Sore. 

Summer  sore,  sometimes  called  bursatti,  is  a  disease  of  horses  and 
mules  of  frequent  occurrence  in  Imperial  County.  In  the  writer's 
opinion  it  is  yet  to  be  proven  that  this  is  the  disease  commonly  known  as 
bursatti,  in  British  India.  In  California  summer  sore  is  found  present 
most  frequently  in  hot,  moist  climates  at  low  altitudes.  The  affected 
animal  seldom  suffers  the  first  attack  before  the  first  of  June,  but  may 
at  any  time  from  that  date  until  the  middle  of  October.  If  the  animal 
has  had  one  attack  and  the  sores  apparently  heal  with  the  advent  of 
cool  weather,  they  may  reappear  at  any  time  after  the  first  of  April  the 
following  year.  The  months  of  July  and  August  bring  forth  the  greatest 
number  of  cases. 

SYMPTOMS  AND  CHARACTERISTICS  OF  THE  DISEASE. 

The  disease  begins  with  a  slight  local  swelling,  heat  and  pain,  a  thick- 
ening of  the  skin  and  the  tissues  immediately  beneath.  The  thickened 
portion  gradually  decreases  from  the  center  outward,  but  leaves  a  well- 
defined  base.  In  from  two  to  ten  days  small  spots  like  the  pointing  of 
an  abscess  may  be  seen.  The  hair  falls  out,  and  drops  of  yellowish, 
watery  fluid  exude.  Across  these  points  the  skin  will  break  and  a 
malignant  sore  is  formed.  Cattle  in  Imperial  Valley  were  not  reported 
;is  having  suffered  with  the  disease. 


Bulletin  219]       IMPERIAL  COUNTY  LIVE  STOCK  CONDITIONS.  1201 

This  has  proved  to  be  one  of  the  most  important  of  the  various  diseases 
found,  for  the  reason — first,  that  considering  the  size  of  the  valley  there 
were  many  cases ;  and,  second,  that  no  particular  treatment  had  proven 
satisfactory. 

The  term  "bursatti"  is  derived  from  the  Indian  word  "Bursat, " 
meaning  rain.  The  term  literally  means  rain-sore.  In  this  connection 
it  is  interesting  to  observe  that  the  annual  rainfall  in  the  valley  is  less 
than  four  inches,  and  that  there  is  no  rain  between  the  months  of  June 
and  October,  the  period  during  which  the  disease  develops.  The  affected 
animals,  however,  had  been  allowed  to  stand  in  water  during  the  hot 
part  of  the  day,  sometimes  with  the  water  reaching  to  the  body.  It  is 
quite  possible  that  this  condition  encourages  the  development  of  the 
disease;  just  as  rain  aggravates  the  disease  condition  in  other  sections 
of  the  United  States. 

Since  1904,  twenty-one  cases  of  this  disease  have  developed  in  the 
Imperial  Valley.  The  ages  of  the  animals  affected  varied  from  nine 
months  to  twenty-five  years.  The  lesions  were  located  at  the  following 
points :  Breast,  lumbar  region,  abdomen,  side  of  face,  prepuce,  mamma?, 
front  of  forearm,  legs  below  the  knees  and  the  fetlocks.  The  legs  below 
the  knees  and  hocks  and  lower  parts  of  the  body  suffer  most  frequently. 

In  all  of  these  cases  the  animals  were  allowed  free  access  to  standing 
water,  which  in  many  cases  was  stagnant,  covered  with  fungi  and  filled 
with  insects  of  various  kinds.  Some  of  the  animals  that  developed  the 
disease  had  stood  with  the  water  reaching  to  the  body  during  the  hot 
part  of  the  day.  On  one  ranch,  three  cases  developed  in  one  season,  and 
one  case  had  developed  the  previous  year.  Another  ranch  developed 
three  cases  the  same  year,  and  there  are  other  ranches  from  which  two 
cases  are  reported.    My  observations  were  confined  to  four  animals. 

Case  No.  1. 

Mule,  25  years  old,  was  in  fair  flesh,  developed  the  disease  June  1, 
1910,  and  was  brought  to  me  for  treatment  on  June  7th.  The  lesion 
was  located  on  the  breast. 

Symptoms.  Lesions :  There  was  considerable  local  swelling  and  thick- 
ening of  the  skin  and  the  tissues  immediately  beneath.  This  swelling, 
well-circumscribed,  extended  over  an  area  of  about  six  by  eight  inches ; 
in  the  center  of  the  swelling  was  a  fistula  \  inch  in  diameter,  which 
drained  a  necrotic  area  extending  about  2  inches  into  the  tissues  and 
turning  almost  at  right  angles  and  continuing  about  three  inches  further 
beneath  the  skin  and  subcutaneous  tissue.  The  hair  was  falling  out 
over  a  small  area  surrounding  the  opening  of  the  fistula  and  a  yellowish, 
watery  fluid,  sometimes  resembling  bloodstained  serum,  and  which  is 
characteristic  of  summer  sore,  exuded  from  the  wound  drop  by  drop, 
slowly  but  continually.  This  fluid  was  later  seen  to  be  secreted  only 
from  the  granulating  tissue. 


1202  UNIVERSITY   OF    CALIFORNIA— EXPERIMENT    STATION. 

Treatment.  Operated  immediately,  removing  a  section  of  tissue  4 
inches  by  6  inches  and  2\  inches  deep,  which  included  most  of  the 
swollen,  thickened  tissue  around  the  wound  and  all  tissue  which  had  an 
unhealthy  appearance.  Within  a  week  excessive  granulating  tissue  had 
developed  at  two  points  within  the  wound.  This  tissue  continued  to 
grow  and  spread  rapidly  despite  the  following  treatment.  Washed 
thoroughly  once  daily  with  three  per  cent  solution  of  carbolic  acid, 
followed  by  covering  the  wound  thoroughly  with  dusting  powder  com- 
posed of  boracic  acid,  salicylic  acid,  acetanilid  and  iodoform.  Carbolic 
acid  and  salicylic  acid  have  been  recommended  for  use  in  this  disease, 
as  they  destroy  fungi  readily,  and  the  disease  was  reported  by  Fish  and 
Bitting  to  be  caused  by  a  fungus  found  locally  in  the  lesions.  After  one 
week,  lysol  was  substituted  for  the  carbolic  acid,  and  with  the  dusting 
powder  was  continued  throughout  the  treatment.  The  wound  was 
covered  completely  with  antiseptic  cotton  held  in  place  by  a  bandage 
passed  around  the  body  of  the  animal.  This  was  necessary  to  keep  the 
flies  from  the  wound. 

When  this  treatment  failed  to  check  the  excessive  granulation  and 
watery  discharge,  formaldehyde  full  strength  was  used  On  the  surface 
and  injected  into  the  base  of  the  rapidly  granulating  tissue  with  a  hypo- 
dermic syringe.  The  formaldehyde  caused  the  animal  some  discomfort, 
but  the  following  day  the  serum  discharge  was  entirely  stopped  and  the 
granulating  tissue  dark  colored,  and  by  the  third  day  the  dead  tissue 
had  sloughed  off,  leaving  a  healthy  appearing  surface  with  no  discharge. 
Although  the  full  strength  formaldehyde  was  used,  I  believe  that  it 
would  produce  good  results  if  used  diluted — say  a  ten  per  cent  solution. 
The  treatment  was  continued  in  this  way,  using  the  formaldehyde 
whenever  it  was  necessary  to  check  the  excessive  granulations.  The 
animal  remained  in  good  condition  throughout  the  treatment,  with  good 
appetite  and  normal  temperature.  Attempts  to  bite  the  wound  were 
noticed  only  once,  when  the  bandage  had  loosened  and  dirt  and  flies  had 
come  in  contact  with  the  wound.  A  letter  from  the  Imperial  Valley, 
dated  September  3d,  reports  this  mule  completely  recovered  and  back  at 
work.    The  recovery  has  taken  place  during  the  hottest  weather. 

Case  No.  2. 
Large  sorrel  horse,  8  years  old,  in  good  flesh.  Was  affected  with  this 
disease  in  1909.  Recovered  at  the  advent  of  cool  weather.  June  25, 
1910,  the  surface  of  the  scar  caused  by  the  disease  in  1909  had  cracked, 
and  was  discharging  a  yellowish,  watery  fluid.  There  was  no  swelling 
around  the  lesion.  I  was  not  able  to  diagnose  this  case  positively, 
although  the  discharge  was  characteristic  of  summer  sore.  I  filled  the 
wound  with  formaldehyde  as  before,  which  stopped  the  discharge  only 
temporarily.    Four  days  later  a  second  application  of  the  formaldehyde 


BULLETIN  219]        IMPERIAL  COUNTY  LIVE  STOCK  CONDITIONS.  1203 

stopped  the  discharge  entirely,  and  it  did  not  recur,  and  no  further 
trouble  has  resulted. 

Case  No.  3. 
Nine  months  old  colt,  developed  the  disease  in  September,  1909.    The 
animal  had  stood  in  water  up  to  its  body  a  great  deal  of  the  time. 
Extensive  lesions  over  lower  part  of  abdomen,  covering  a  surface  18  by 


Fig.  4. — Horse  No.  3,  showing  lesion  of  summer  sore  on  wall  of  abdomen. 

10  inches.  The  animal  recovered  temporarily  February  1,  1910,  but 
broke  out  again  in  July,  affecting  the  sides  and  lower  part  of  the 
abdomen  and  the  prepuce.    This  animal  was  not  treated  by  me. 

Case  No.  4. 

Black  horse,  about  8  years  old,  in  good  flesh.  Had  suffered  from  the 
disease  during  the  summer  of  1908-1909,  and  again  this  past  summer. 
Sent  to  University  Experiment  Station.  The  disease  had  been  in 
progress  several  months;  a  lesion  located  on  the  left  side  of  the  face 
was  secreting  the  characteristic  yellow  fluid.  Lesions  were  also  present 
on  the  right  foreleg  at  two  points  below  the  fetlock,  which  showed  the 
development  of  the  characteristic  granular  deposits.  The  object  in  this 
case  was  to  determine  the  effect  of  the  cool  coast  climate  on  the  course 
of  the  disease  without  further  treatment  except  to  protect  the  lesions 
at  the  fetlock  by  means  of  a  gauze  bandage. 

Within  a  week  the  watery  discharge  from  the  lesion  on  the  side  of  the 
face  had  ceased,  and  by  the  end  of  the  second  week,  the  necrotic  granules 
had  disappeared  from  the  lesions  at  the  fetlock,  leaving  a  smooth,  raw 
surface.    A  slight  watery  discharge  reappeared  from  the  lesion  on  the 


1204 


UNIVERSITY   OF   CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT   STATION. 


face  for  a  few  days  when  the  hot  weather  developed,  but  soon  disap- 
peared, and  the  lesions  are  gradually  healing. 

In  the  Review  of  Recent  Facts  in  Tropical  Medicine,  Wellcome 
Research  Laboratory,  Volume  I,  reference  is  made  to  the  disease  as  a 
strange  complaint  associated  with  the  presence  of  filaria  embryos  in  the 
skin  and  connective  tissues  of  horses,  which  is  common  in  India.  Lin- 
gard  concluded  from  a  number  of  observations  made  in  the  Muktesar 
Laboratory  on  horses  and  cattle,  that  the  filaria  embryos  are  present  in 
the  blood  of  affected  animals  in  varying  numbers  during  the  twenty- 
four  hours,  and  that  between  six  o'clock  and  ten  o'clock  in  the  evening 
the  number  of  these  embryos  increases  enormouslv.     They  were  fewer 


Fig.  5. — Horse  No.  4,  showing  partially  healed  lesions  of  summer  sore. 

during  the  month  of  September  than  they  were  during  the  months  of 
June  and  July. 

The  filaria  irritans  is  reported  from  Europe  as  being  the  cause  of  the 
disease  bursatti,  and  the  embryos  are  reported  to  have  been  found  in 
the  circulating  blood. 

In  America  the  filaria  embryos  have  not  been  reported  as  having  been 
found  present  in  the  blood  or  within  the  tissues  of  the  lesions  of  animals 
suffering  with  this  disease. 

With  a  view  of  determining  the  presence  of  these  filaria  embryos, 
microscopic  examinations  of  the  blood  of  cases  Nos.  1  and  4  were  made. 
Wright's  stain  was  used  in  the  preparation  of  the  blood  smears. 


Bulletin  219]       IMPERIAL  COUNTY  LIVE  STOCK  CONDITIONS. 


1205 


Case  No.  1. 
Number  of  blood  smears  examined,  50. 
Number  of  fresh  cover  glass  preparations  examined  for  motility,  20. 

Case  No.  4. 

Number  of  blood  smears  examined,  30. 

Number  of  fresh  cover  glass  preparations  examined  for  motility,  10. 

Professor  Herms  of  the  Entomological  Department  of  the  University 
of  California  assisted  me  in  the  examination  of  slides  for  the  presence 
of  filaria,  and  in  no  case  did  we  find  the  embryos  present. 

Blood  examination  of  case  No.  4  showed  the  following : 


Fig.  6. — Partially  healed  lesion  of  summer  sore  on  pastern. 
Horse  No.   4. 

Red  blood  corpuscles,  per  c.  m.,  8,008,000. 
Leucocytes,  16,200. 
Hemoglobin,  100  per  cent. 

Eosinophiles,  10  per  cent  in  proportion  to  the  total  number  of 
leucocytes. 
The  number  of  leucocytes  present  in  case  No.  4  was  increased  about 
10,000  per  c.  m.  above  the  normal.  The  increase  in  the  number  of 
eosinophiles  was  marked,  and  instead  of  about  4  per  cent  as  reported 
by  Moore,  Haring,  and  Cady  for  normal  horses,  10  per  cent  of  eosin- 
ophiles were  found  in  this  animal. 

Microscopic  examinations  of  sections  from  the  borders  of  the  lesion 
from  which  the  watery  discharge  is  secreted  were  made  by  the  patholo- 
gist at  the  Cooper  Medical  College,  San  Francisco,  and  showed  the  lesion 


1206 


UNIVERSITY   OF    CALIFORNIA— EXPERIMENT   STATION. 


to  be  of  a  rapidly  granulating  type  containing  an  increased  number  of 
eosinophiles. 

I  realize  the  need  for  further  investigation  on  this  disease  in  this 
country.  The  Agricultural  Experiment  Station  of  the  University  of 
California  will  continue  observations  on  case  No.  4,  with  a  view  of 
bringing  about  a  recurrence  of  the  disease  by  taking  the  animal  to  a 
hotter  section  of  the  State  at  the  beginning  of  next  summer.  Further 
observations  will  be  made  relative  to  this  and  other  cases  at  that  time. 

In  conclusion,  I  would  say : 

First,  that  we  were  successful  in  treating  summer  sore  by  excising 
the  diseased  tissues  as  completely  as  possible,  followed  by  the  application 
of  antiseptic  solutions  and  dusting  powders. 


Fig.    7. — Partially    healed   lesion   of   summer    sore   on 
fetlock.      Horse  No.   4. 


Second,  that  strong  solutions  of  formaldehyde  proved  effective  in 
checking  the  secretions  and  excessive  granulations  without  noticeable 
ill  effects  to  the  animal. 

Third,  that  animals  suffering  with  extensive  forms  of  the  disease  can 
be  treated  more  successfully  by  removing  them  to  cool  climates  where 
the  disease  is  not  apt  to  recur. 

II.     Chronic  Dermatitis  in  Horses. 

A  chronic  inflammation  of  the  skin  of  horses  characterized  by  the 
production  of  epidermic  scales,  which  usually  attacks  the  head,  neck, 
chest  or  tail  first  to  form  fine  scales  like  wheat-bran  or  a  fine  dust-like 


Bulletin  219]       IMPERIAL  COUNTY  LIVE  STOCK  CONDITIONS.  1207 

flour.  As  the  disease  develops  further,  the  scurf  thickens  in  some  cases 
to  form  thick  scales,  and  the  hair  becomes  thin  over  the  diseased  surface. 
Old  horses,  on  account  of  having  a  drier  skin  and  thinner  hair,  are  more 
subject  to  the  disease  than  the  young.  In  some  cases  the  mane  and  tail 
alone  become  affected.  The  dry  and  hard  scurf  which  forms  over  the 
affected  surface  causes  the  hair  to  drop  out. 

Cause.  The  exact  cause  of  this  affection  is  uncertain,  but  it  is  likely 
that  several  influences  are  brought  to  bear  in  bringing  about  the  trouble. 
A  long-continued  and  exclusive  diet  of  green  feed,  such  as  alfalfa 
pasturage,  has  been  known  to  encourage  the  development  of  skin 
diseases.  Dust  and  other  irritating  substances  on  the  skin  and  the  hot 
sun  of  summer,  all  probably  contribute  to  the  cause  of  this  affection. 

The  bacillus  necrophorus,  the  organism  causing  necrotic  dermatitis  in 
pigs,  is  thought  by  Mohler  to  have  to  do  with  inflammations  of  the  skin 
of  other  animals,  and  there  is  a  possibility  that  it  may  have  to  do  with 
the  chronic  dermatitis  of  horses. 

Treatment.  One  horse  at  Imperial  suffering  from  this  disease  was 
treated  as  follows: 

Clipped  off  the  long  hair  around  the  diseased  area  and  washed  thor- 
oughly with  green  soap  to  remove  the  scurfy  layer  of  skin.  Washed 
the  affected  surface  with  a  three  per  cent  solution  of  creolin  once  daily, 
followed  by  an  application  of  ichthyol  to  protect  the  surface  from  sun 
and  dirt  and  to  keep  the  skin  soft.  Internal  treatment  consisted  of 
purgatives,  diuretic,  and  an  arsenic  preparation  which  is  indicated  in 
chronic  skin  diseases. 

Under  this  treatment  the  animal  showed  material  improvement,  and 
was  sold  to  another  owner  who  did  not  continue  the  treatment.  On 
account  of  the  limited  amount  of  time  further  experiments  with  this 
disease  were  not  possible. 

Chronic  dermatitis  in  horses  in  Imperial  County  is  causing  a  great 
deal  of  trouble.  Many  animals  are  affected  to  a  greater  or  less  extent, 
and  although  they  are  not  incapacitated  for  work,  they  have  an  un- 
thrifty appearance,  and  fall  off  in  condition  due  to  the  irritation  and 
rubbing  of  the  skin,  mane  and  tail. 

The  farmers  are  helpless  in  the  control  of  this  affection  of  horses  in 
Imperial  Valley ;  and  it  is  very  desirable  that  further  work  be  done  in 
the  investigation  and  treatment  of  this  disease. 


2— bul.  219 


1208  UNIVERSITY   OF    CALIFORNIA — EXPERIMENT    STATION. 

THE  SHEEP  AND  GOAT  INDUSTRY. 

The  sheep  industry  is  growing  in  favor  in  Imperial  Valley  and  is 
being  developed  rapidly.  On  account  of  the  death  of  young  pigs  from 
the  different  causes,  a  few  of  the  former  hog  raisers  have  directed  their 
attention  toward  the  sheep  industry.     One  firm  alone  has  about  30,000 


Fig.   8. — Goats  and  alfalfa  field  near  Calexico. 

head  of  sheep.    It  is  predicted  that  the  Imperial  Valley  will  soon  supply 
the  entire  Los  Angeles  market  with  spring  lamb. 

Diseases  of  sheep  in  Imperial  County  have  not  been  reported  as  having 
been  present  at  any  time. 

SWINE  RAISING  IN  IMPERIAL  COUNTY. 

Imperial  County  is  the  most  important  hog-growing  section  in  the 
State  of  California.  Referring  to  the  table  on  page  1196  we  find  that 
there  were  728  car  loads  of  hogs  shipped  from  the  valley  during  the 
fifteen  months  preceding  April  30,  1910,  and  this  exceeds  the  number 
of  car  loads  of  all  other  species  of  animals  shipped  from  this  section 
during  the  same  period.  Although  there  are  a  large  number  of  hogs 
raised,  the  producers  are  finding  that  they  have  very  heavy  losses  from 
different  causes;  and  if  these  losses  could  be  controlled  their  profits 
would  be  enormously  increased. 

Hogs  are  generally  allowed  entrance  to  settling  basins,  where  they 
drink  and  wallow  during  the  heat  of  summer.  The  water  is  very  muddy, 
and  often  stagnant,  and  on  account  of  the  character  of  the  soil  in  this 
locality  the  hogs  that  are  handled  in  this  way  usually  have  quantities 
of  mud  clinging  to  their  bodies.  It  is  difficult  to  keep  hogs  perfectly 
healthy  under  these  conditions,  and  especially  in  this  section  where  the 
hog  louse  and  a  peculiar  skin  disease  cause  so  much  trouble.  If  they 
are  to  be  given  access  to  water  a  very  good  plan  is  to  build  a  platform 
over  the  border  of  the  settling  basin  and  fence  in  the  basin  so  that  the 
hogs  can  not  wallow  in  the  mud.  In  this  way  the  body  of  the  animal 
is  kept  clean,  and  the  water  is  much  cleaner  for  the  hogs  to  drink. 

It  is  sometimes  difficult  to  provide  an  outlet  for  settling  basins  in  a 
country  as  level  as  is  Imperial,  but  some  care  in  construction  will  usually 
make  it  possible  to  provide  for  an  outlet,  which  is  very  desirable  for 
keeping  the  water  fresh. 


Bulletin  219]       IMPERIAL  COUNTY  LIVE  STOCK  CONDITIONS.  1209 

From  the  fact  that  few  shade  trees  have  been  planted  for  the  protec- 
tion of  live  stock,  it  has  been  found  desirable  to  construct  shades,  which 
are  usually  made  of  green  alfalfa  applied  in  a  thick  layer  over  a  frame- 
work and  held  in  place  by  means  of  wire  passed  over  the  surface  of  the 
hay.  The  photograph  below  shows  a  shade  of  this  character  constructed 
near  the  watering  place.  "With  this  arrangement  the  hogs  do  not  lie  in 
the  water  for  any  length  of  time,  but  return  soon  to  the  shade  where 
they  spend  the  greater  part  of  the  day. 

The  native  mesquite  trees  found  occasionally  in  the  pastures,  serve 


Fig.  9. — Entrance  to  platform  leading  into  settling  basin  for  watering  hogs. 
On  the  right  is  an  alfalfa  thatched  shed  for  shade. 

as  an  excellent  shade.  Eucalyptus  and  other  trees  grow  very  rapidly, 
as  evidenced  by  the  following  photograph,  and  stock  owners  should  take 
advantage  of  this  to  provide  shade. 

DISEASES   OF   HOGS   IN   IMPERIAL    COUNTY. 

Losses  of  hogs  are  due  largely  to  the  death  of  young  pigs  from  a 
disease  known  as  Necrotic  dermatitis,  and  to  the  lack  of  thrift  in  young 
pigs  and  grown  hogs  due  to  the  presence  of  the  hog  louse. 

I.     Necrotic  Dermatitis  in  Pigs. 

This  is  a  disease  of  young  pigs  and  hogs  up  to  one  year  of  age.  The 
disease  is  characterized  by  an  inflammation  of  the  skin  attacking  the 
nose,  snout,  sides  of  face  and  mouth,  eyelids  or  ears  to  form  thin  scabs. 
These  may  later  thicken  to  form  hard  crusts  over  the  skin  of  the  head. 
Another  form  of  the  disease  attacks  the  body  to  form  raised  areas  in  the 
skin  which  show  a  local  inflammation,  and  later  become  covered  over 
with  a  scab.  The  ears  may  become  inflamed  and  dry  up,  or  the  tail 
become  diseased  and  drop  off.  The  disease  is  more  extensive  in  young 
pigs  up  to  three  months  old.  Pigs  four  days  old  may  be  attacked,  live 
two  weeks  and  die.  Constipation  is  frequently  present  in  the  last  stages 
of  the  disease.  If  one  pig  in  a  litter  becomes  affected,  usually  the  whole 
litter  is  lost,  and  pigs  kept  separate  in  an  adjoining  pen  may  not  suffer 
from  the  trouble. 

The  above  symptoms  were  referred  to  Dr.  John  R.  Mohler,  Bureau  of 


1210 


UNIVERSITY   OF    CALIFORNIA— EXPERIMENT    STATION. 


Animal  Industry,  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture,  and  he  confirms  the 
diagnosis. 

Cause.     In  Circular  91,  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry,  U.  S.  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture,  Dr..  Mohler  describes  the  cause  of  the  disease  as 


Fig.  10. — A  good  method  of  watering  hogs. 


being  an  organism  known  as  the  Bacillus  necrophorus.     It  is  highly 
infectious,  and  is  believed  to  live  normally  on  the  healthy  intestines  of 
hogs  so  that  the  manures  are  sources  of  danger  as  infective  agents. 
There  can  be  little  doubt  that  the  disease  is  primarily  the  result  of 


:,'\ 

M  , 

g». 

B 

I  !       I 

t     B^ 

-%Mm 

ll- 

-•m  7sm*, 

':  ugh 

■P^^^WP 

1 

!'    '              '■,                  .*.-■*                                         ■        '          S^X: 

r 

^m 

^  _    i-     . 

Fig.  11. — A  poor  method  of  watering  hogs. 

abrasions  of  the  skin  allowing  the  entrance  of  the  infective  organism, 
which  in  some  localities  is  widely  disseminated.  It  has  been  observed 
also  that  the  scratches  On  the  cheeks  of  sucking  pigs,  resulting  from  bites 
and  scratches  by  the  teeth  of  the  other  pigs  of  the  litter  during  nursing 
frequently  become  infected  and  develop  into  necrotic  dermatitis. 


Bulletin  219]       IMPERIAL  COUNTY  LIVE  STOCK  CONDITIONS.  1211 

Hogs  and  pigs  are  often  allowed  access  to  settling  basins  and  other 
places  where  they  can  wallow  in  the  mud.  The  mud  in  Imperial  is 
peculiar  in  forming  a  cement-like  layer,  which  becomes  matted  in  the 
hair  over  the  nose  and  head,  and  becoming  dried  by  the  sun  and  winds 
may  rub  off,  pulling  hair  and  skin  with  it,  and  thus  opening  the  way 
for  the  entrance  of  the  necrosis  bacillus,  followed  by  the  development  of 
the  disease. 

The  following  data  show  the  conditions  and  losses  from  this  disease, 
and  the  observations  made  on  the  disease  by  several  hog  raisers  in 
Imperial  County : 

Ranch  No.  1,  Holtville,  California. 

Hogs  kept  on  place 1,000 

Pigs  kept  on  place 500 

Pigs  born  each  year '. 1,200 

Pigs  raised  each  year 700 

Loss  by  death , 500 


Fig.  12. — Four-year-old  shade  trees  near  Calexico. 

During  the  past  three  years  this  ranch  has  lost  1,500  pigs.  Most  of 
the  trouble  is  due  to  a  skin  disease  which  appears  in  three  forms: 

1.  Ears  dry  up,  form  crusts  and  peel  off.  Hair  becomes  dry  and 
rough,  and  skin  is  red. 

2.  Scurf  forms  over  back,  shoulders  and  head.  This  form  attacks  pigs 
up  to  one  year  of  age.  Fat  pigs  are  more  susceptible.:  Constipation;  is 
present  in  the  last  stages.  The  greatest  losses  from  this  form  of  the 
disease  occur  during  the  sucking  period.     Without ;  treatment  none  of 


1212  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA— EXPERIMENT    STATION. 

the  pigs  recover.    If  the  pigs  are  attacked  after  six  months  of  age  they 
seldom  die,  but  are  left  unthrifty. 

3.  The  third  form  of  the  disease  appears  as  scale  on  the  muzzle  and 
face  of  young  pigs. 

Ranch  No.  2,  Imperial,  California. 

Total  number  of  hogs 250 

Total  number  of  pigs 150 

Lost  by  death  from  necrotic  dermatitis 75 

Ranch  No.  3,  Imperial,  California. 

Number   of    hogs 600 

Number  of  pigs 400 

Lost  from  necrotic  dermatitis  during  the  year 300 

Ranch  No.  Jf,  Imperial,  California. 

Number   of   hogs 400 

Number  of  pigs 400 

Lost  from  all  causes  during  past  year 300 

Ranch  No.  5,  Holtville,  California. 

Number    of   hogs 325 

Pigs  lost  from  necrotic  dermatitis  during  past  three  years 500 

Treatment.  Prevention  is  the  most  important  means  of  keeping  the 
hogs  free  from  the  disease,  and  treatment  is  the  only  means  of  making 
a  diseased  herd  healthy. 

Starting  with  a  healthy  herd  of  hogs  and  wishing  to  introduce  new 
blood  into  the  herd,  it  is  always  advisable  to  dip  the  newly  arrived  hogs 
in  a  disinfectant  solution  before  allowing  them  to  enter  the  herd. 

If  any  evidence  of  the  disease  is  noticeable  on  the  animals  they  should 
not  be  allowed  in  the  herd  until  they  have  been  treated  and  have  entirely 
recovered  from  the  disease. 

When  the  disease  has  developed  in  the  herd,  prevention  should  be 
carried  out  along  three  lines : 

(1)  Separation  of  the  sick  from  the  healthy  animals. 

(2)  Close  watch  kept  on  the  hogs  that  have  been  exposed  to  infection 
by  contact  with  affected  animals  or  premises. 

(3)  Complete  disinfection  of  all  pens,  corrals  and  sheds,  as  the  infec- 
tive organism  may  retain  its  virulence  under  favorable  conditions  in  and 
around  the  hogpens  for  several  years.  The  walls,  fences  and  troughs 
should  be  sprinkled  with  a  five  per  cent  solution  of  kreso,  creolin, 
zenoleum,  or  other  similar  disinfectant.  All  manure  and  bedding  should 
be  removed  from  the  pens  and  the  surface  of  the  ground  disinfected. 

"When  the  disease  is  actually  established  in  the  herd  it  is  important  to 
remember  that  the  principal  requisite  is  to  expose  properly  the  affected 
surface  in  order  that  the  remedy  applied  may  destroy  the  infections 
matter. 

Remove  all  scabs  and  particles  of  dried  mud  from  the  diseased  surface 
by  softening  them  with  the  disinfectant  solution  and  then  rubbing  them 
off.  Treatment  by  local  antiseptics,  such  as  a  three  per  cent  solution  of 
the  cresol  or  coal-tar  dips,  is  very  satisfactory  if  begun  in  time  and 
applied  energetically.    It  should  not  be  deferred,  as  better  results  will 


Bulletin  219]      imperial  county  live  stock  conditions. 


1213 


be  obtained  by  immediate  attention.  In  the  early  stage  of  the  disease, 
dipping  two  days  in  succession,  and  repeated  within  a  week,  will  usually 
give  good  results.  In  the  actively  progressive  cases,  or  in  aggravated, 
chronic  forms,  it  is  desirable  to  remove  the  scabs.  Apply  the  dip,  fol- 
lowed by  an  application  of  Lugol's  solution  to  the  diseased  surface. 
Treatment  is  not  recommended  for  the  young  pigs  suffering  from  the 
chronic  or  extensive  forms  of  the  disease,  as  their  value  does  not  war- 
rant the  labor  necessary  for  the  course  of  treatment.  They  should  be 
destroyed  immediately  to  prevent  the  spread  of  the  infection. 

Although  treatment  may  be  recommended,  care  in  the  preparation  of 
dips  and  their  proper  application  is  necessary  in  order  to  get  good 
results ;  and  it  is  important  also  to  emphasize  the  fact  that  medical  treat- 


Fig.   13. — Unclean  litter  pens  for  hogs  which  may  harbor  disease  germs 

for   a   long   time. 

ment  of  the  disease,  without  the  proper  observance  of  the  cleanliness  of 
the  surroundings  for  the  animals,  would  not  bring  about  a  permanent 
cure. 

This  disease  of  pigs  in  Imperial  has  spread  so  generally  throughout 
certain  herds,  and  the  losses  have  been  so  great  that  several  of  the  large 
hog  raisers  have  become  utterly  discouraged,  and  a  few  have  gone  out  of 
the  hog-raising  business  entirely.  The  short  time  allowed  for  the  work 
with  this  disease  made  it  impossible  to  conduct  a  thorough  investigation. 
There  has  been  very  little  published  on  the  disease  in  this  country,  so 
that  the  progress  was  slow  in  arriving  at  a  diagnosis. 

Three  rabbits  were  inoculated  with  material  from  the  necrotic  areas 
removed  from  the  skin  of  pigs  suffering  from  this  disease.  This  was 
done  with  a  view  of  isolating  the  infective  organism.  The  extreme  hot 
weather  made  careful  work  impossible.  One  of  the  rabbits  died  from 
heat  exhaustion,  and  the  other  two,  which  were  returned  to  the  Experi- 
ment Station  at  Berkeley,  failed  to  develop  any  lesions. 

The  investigation  of  this  disease  in  Imperial  County  should  be  con- 
tinued. 


1214  UNIVERSITY   OF    CALIFORNIA— EXPERIMENT   STATION. 

II.     The  Hog  Louse. 

The  poor  condition  of  health  and  stunted  growth  of  some  droves  of 
hogs,  where  other  hogs  thrive  on  practically  the  same  food  and  care,  is 
frequently  due  to  the  presence  of  parasites  on  the  skin  of  these  animals. 

Of  these  external  parasites,  the  hog  louse  is  the  only  one  that  was 
found  to  be  present  in  Imperial.  It  is  a  bloodsucking  parasite,  and  is 
large  enough  to  be  easily  visible  to  the  naked  eye.  When  a  drove  of 
hogs  is  not  thriving  properly,  a  careful  examination  of  the  animals  will 
frequently  show  that  the  unthrifty  condition  is  directly  traceable  to  the 
presence  on  the  skin  of  large  numbers  of  lice. 

When  lice  increase  in  large  numbers,  as  they  are  likely  to  do  if  not 
destroyed,  the  skin  of  the  animals  becomes  covered  with  scales  and  sores, 
and  in  extreme  cases,  swelling  and  inflammation  develop  as  a  result  of 
the  parasites  piercing  the  skin  with  their  mouth-parts  hundreds  of  times 
each  day  in  their  effort  to  secure  blood  for  food.  The  irritation  thus 
produced  is  a  source  of  constant  annoyance  and  worry  to  the  hogs,  evi- 
denced by  their  restlessness  and  incessant  rubbing  and  scratching 
against  any  convenient  object.  The  ultimate  effect  is  to  seriously  inter- 
fere with  the  growth  and  fattening  of  hogs,  especially  of  young  pigs. 

The  destruction  of  this  parasite  is  a  comparatively  easy  matter,  and 
practical  tests  have  demonstrated  the  economic  importance  of  freeing 
hogs  from  the  louse.  It  interferes  with  the  growth,  weakens  the  general 
physical  condition,  and  as  has  been  reported  by  different  experimenters, 
renders  the  animals  an  easy  prey  to  contagious  diseases. 

Treatment  for  the  Hog  Louse. 

1.  Preventive  Measure.  Any  treatment  to  prove  effective  against 
lice  on  hogs  must  include  preventive  measures  as  well  as  destructive 
remedies.  The  sleeping  quarters  of  lousy  hogs  become  infested  with  lice, 
which  crawl  off  the  hogs  and  secrete  themselves  in  the  crevices  of  the 
woodwork  and  in  the  bedding,  while  the  eggs  on  the  hair  that  the  hogs 
shed  and  rub  off  will  hatch  out  young  lice.  These  parasites  in  the  sleep- 
ing places  immediately  reinfest  animals  from  which  the  lice  have  been 
removed  by  treatment,  or  perhaps  animals  that  have  not  been  previously 
infested  with  lice.  A  thorough  treatment,  therefore,  includes  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  lice  in  the  buildings  and  pens  in  addition  to  treatment  of  the 
animals  themselves.  If  the  pens  where  lousy  hogs  have  been  kept  are 
left  vacant  for  a  period  of  two  weeks  all  lice  will  have  perished,  and  any 
new  animals  introduced  will  be  in  no  danger  of  infection. 

For  disinfection  of  buildings  apply  a  three  per  cent  solution  of  any 
of  the  coal-tar  preparations,  such  as  kreso,  creolin  or  zenoleum,  to  be 
applied  with  a  broom  or  spray  pump.  For  treating  the  floors,  air- 
slaked  lime  having  a  little  carbolic  acid  added  has  been  recommended 
for  dusting  over  the  surface.     Whitewash  made  by  slaking  lime  with 


Bulletin  219]       IMPERIAL  COUNTY  LIVE  STOCK  CONDITIONS.  1215 

water  (1^  pounds  to  1  gallon  of  water)  and  applying  it  to  the  surface 
has  been  found  effective  in  combating  lice  in  buildings. 

In  treating  hogs  infected  with  lice  special  attention  should  be  given 
to  those  parts  of  the  body  where  the  lice  congregate  in  greatest  numbers. 
They  are  found  principally  inside,  behind  and  in  front  of  the  ears,  on 
the  breasts,  and  back  of  the  forelegs.  Even  with  the  most  thorough 
treatment,  however,  some  of  the  lice  are  apt  to  escape,  and  these,  if  not 
destroyed  soon,  increase  in  numbers.  The  eggs  are  not  all  destroyed  by 
any  single  treatment.  These  facts  make  it  necessary  to  repeat  any  treat- 
ment used  in  order  to  entirely  eradicate  these  pests  from  a  badly  infested 
herd. 

Strange  hogs  added  to  a  herd  should  always  be  examined  for  parasites, 
in  order  that  any  infested  animals  may  not  be  introduced  to  cause  the 
spread  of  lice  throughout  the  herd. 

2.  Treatment  of  the  Hogs.  Many  different  preparations  have  been 
used  to  destroy  lice  on  hogs.  Some  that  were  found  successful  in  killing 
the  louse  proved  injurious  to  the  skin  of  the  hog. 

In  Bulletin  No.  69  of  the  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry,  U.  S.  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture,  the  following  preparations  are  recommended  for 
destroying  lice  on  hogs  : 

Kerosene  in  a  ten  per  cent  emulsion  proved  successful. 
Creolin  in  a  three  per  cent  solution  will  destroy  lice. 

These  may  be  applied  by  spraying  or  dipping  in  vats ;  the  treatment 
to  be  repeated  in  two  weeks.  The  latter  method  is  more  thorough  and 
is  to  be  preferred. 

Formulas  for  kerosene  emulsion. 

(a)   Hard  soap,  one  half  pound  (i  bar  common  soap). 
Kerosene,  two  gallons. 
Water,  one  gallon. 

Boil  the  water  and  soap  until  the  latter  is  dissolved,  remove  from  the 
fire,  then  add  the  kerosene  and  churn  or  agitate  vigorously  until  an 
emulsion  is  formed.  This  emulsion  if  thoroughly  mixed  will  form  a 
gelatinous  mass  on  cooling,  it  keeps  indefinitely,  and  may  be  used  at  any 
time  by  diluting  with  warm  water  to  20  gallons.  If  used  after  cooling, 
the  mixture  should  be  heated  again  (great  care  must  be  exercised  in 
heating  a  second  time  because  of  the  inflammable  kerosene  present,  and 
for  safety  the  mixture  should  be  heated  out  of  doors)  and  then  thor- 
oughly mixed  a  second  time. 

(6)    Sour  milk,  four  gallons. 
Kerosene,  two  gallons. 

This  formula  has  the  advantage  over  the  other  method  of  making 
kerosene  emulsion,  as  it  avoids  the  necessity  of  making  a  soap  mixture, 
the  milk  acting  as  an  emulsifier. 


1216  UNIVERSITY   OF   CALIFORNIA— EXPERIMENT   STATION. 

Hogs  in  Imperial  Valley  are  not  thoroughly  enough  treated,  and  the 
treatment  of  buildings  and  hogs  with  the  remedies  is  not  repeated  fre- 
quently enough  to  completely  eradicate  the  hog  louse. 

In  some  sections  of  California  pure  kerosene  has  been  applied  to  the 
skin  of  hogs  for  the  destruction  of  lice.  The  best  method  of  application 
is  to  place  sufficient  water  in  the  dipping  vat  and  add  kerosene  oil  to  a 
depth  of  one  inch.  The  oil  floats  on  the  surface  of  the  water  so  that  the 
hogs  when  driven  through  the  liquid,  emerge  with  a  thin  coating  of  oil 
over  the  entire  body.  The  application  of  pure  kerosene  to  the  skin  of 
hogs  has  been  known  to  produce  blisters  and  cause  the  hair  to  fall  out ; 
thus,  the  caution  to  use  it  in  the  evening  in  order  to  avoid  the  effect  of 
the  sun's  heat  on  the  skin  freshly  wet  with  kerosene  must  be  strictly 
observed,  and  care  be  taken  not  to  apply  the  oil  too  freely.  In  using  the 
kerosene  emulsion  there  is  practically  no  danger  of  blistering  the  skin. 

III.     Are  Pigs  Killed  by  Ants? 

Several  hog  raisers  in  Imperial  County  report  having  had  many  pigs 
killed  by  ants.    The  following  data  has  been  furnished : 

J.  M.  P.,  Holtville,  California,  reports  a  loss  of  400  small  pigs  during 
the  past  year  from  ants.  (The  bite  of  a  single  ant  is  fatal  to  small  pigs, 
it  is  claimed.) 

0.  N.  S.,  Holtville,  California,  reports  a  loss  of  100  to  150  small  pigs 
from  the  bites  of  ants  during  the  past  three  years. 

Colonies  of  ants  are  numerous  on  the  irrigation  check  banks  and  other 
elevated  places  over  Imperial  Valley.  At  these  locations  the  water  used 
for  irrigating  purposes  can  not  reach  the  colonies  and  the  ants  thrive 
and  increase  in  numbers  under  these  conditions.  The  pigs  lie  in  the  soft 
dirt  on  the  check  banks  and  are  here  frequently  bitten  by  the  ants. 
Potassium  cyanide  poured  in  the  ant  holes  is  used  with  success  for  the 
destruction  of  the  ants. 

Dr.  C.  M.  Haring  of  the  State  Agricultural  Experiment  Station,  con- 
ducted experiments  to  determine  the  toxic  effect  of  potassium  cyanide 
for  hogs,  and  the  possible  danger  of  poisoning  hogs  while  destroying 
ants  by  the  use  of  this  drug.  Ten  grain  doses  of  potassium  cyanide 
failed  to  kill  a  65-pound  shoat,  but  25  grains  produced  death  in  one  hour 
and  ten  minutes.  His  results  seem  to  show  that  hogs  have  a  wonderful 
tolerance  to  potassium  cyanide,  but  that  some  care  must  be  exercised  in 
the  use  of  this  drug  in  the  destruction  of  ants. 

Specimens  of  ants  credited  with  the  destruction  of  young  pigs  by  hog 
raisers  in  Imperial  County  were  sent  to  Professor  C.  W.  Woodworth, 
entomologist  at  the  State  University,  who  recognizes  them  as  belonging 
to  the  family,  Myrmox  pogonomyrmox,  of  which  there  are  four  species 
in  California.  He  supposes  this  species  to  be  Pogonomyrmox  califor- 
nicus. 


BULLETIN  219]        IMPERIAL  COUNTY  LIVE  STOCK  CONDITIONS.  1217 

Many  ants  are  known  to  bite  and  sting,  and  farmers  have  often  sup- 
posed they  were  capable  of  damaging  stock,  but  Professor  Woodworth 
reports  that,  so  far  as  he  knows,  no  literature  is  in  existence  relative  to 
such  noxious  habits,  and  he  supposes,  therefore,  that  there  is  no  real 
foundation  for  these  reported  injuries  to  pigs. 

Considering  these  facts,  it  seems  very  desirable  that  this  trouble  be 
further  investigated.  The  losses  due  to  this  reported  paralysis  in  young 
pigs  are  considerable,  and  when  the  exact  cause  of  the  trouble  can  be 
determined  doubtless  the  number  of  deaths  from  this  disease  can  be 
reducd  to  a  minimum. 

IV.     Abscesses  in  Hogs. 

This  condition  in  the  hogs  from  the  Imperial  Valley  has  been  recog- 
nized and  complained  of  by  the  meat  packers  buying  hogs  in  this 
locality.  Although  in  most  cases  the  quality  of  the  meat  of  the  carcass 
is  not  affected,  the  part  where  the  abscess  is  located  is  discarded,  and  if 
a  large  abscess  is  located  in  the  head  or  neck  of  a  hog,  the  entire  head  is 
condemned  under  the  meat  inspection  regulations  of  the  United  States 
Department  of  Agriculture. 

Where  the  bodies  of  the  hogs  are  covered  with  mud,  or  in  any  case 
where  hogs  are  kept  in  filthy  sleeping  places,  scratches  on  the  body  from 
bites  of  other  hogs,  or  bruises  may  form  abscesses.  If  they  form  in  the 
skin  or  just  beneath  it,  they  can  be  treated  successfully. 

Treatment.  Open  the  abscess  freely  by  cutting  through  the  skin  and 
abscess  wall.  Syringe  out  the  wound  daily  with  a  good  disinfectant, 
such  as  kreso  or  creolin,  three  per  cent  solution,  and  continue  the  treat- 
ment until  the  discharge  has  stopped  and  the  wound  is  healed.  The 
animal  must  be  kept  out  of  the  water  and  in  a  clean  pen  during  treat- 
ment. 

To  summarize  the  work  which  we  have  done  on  the  diseases  of  live 
stock  in  Imperial  County,  we  conclude  that  the  valley  is  comparatively 
free  from  some  of  the  infectious  diseases  which  cause  heavy  losses  in 
other  portions  of  the  State.  The  valley  is  particularly  fortunate  in  being 
comparatively  free  from  bovine  tuberculosis  and  Texas  fever.  However, 
there  are  several  diseases  which  are  especially  prevalent.  Necrotic 
dermatitis  in  hogs,  the  hog  louse,  loss  of  pigs  from  ant  bites  ( ?),  chronic 
dermatitis  in  horses,  and  summer  sores  in  horses  are  causing  enormous 
losses  to  the  live  stock  interests  in  that  section  of  the  State.  On  account 
of  most  of  these  diseases  taking  unusual  forms  in  this  section  due  to  the 
different  conditions  which  prevail  relative  to  climate,  soil,  altitude  and 
water  supply,  it  seems  necessary  and  desirable  that  this  investigation  of 
animal  diseases  in  Imperial  County  be  continued. 

More  complete  scientific  knowledge  should  be  available  relative  to  the 
cause,  prevention,  and  treatment  of  these  diseases  under  the  unusual 


1218 


UNIVERSITY   OF    CALIFORNIA— EXPERIMENT    STATION. 


conditions  which  prevail,  and  a  veterinarian  representing  the  State 
Agricultural  Experiment  Station  should  be  stationed  in  Imperial  for 
that  purpose,  in  order  that  proper  information  can  be  furnished  to  the 
live  stock  owners.  The  fact  that  the  specific  cause  of  each  of  the  above 
diseases,  except  those  due  to  animal  parasites,  is  not  definitely  known, 
emphasizes  the  importance  of  further  investigations. 

THE  WATER  SUPPLY. 

The  domestic  water  supply  and  also  that  used  for  the  live  stock  in  the 
Imperial  Valley  originates  from  the  Colorado  Eiver,  and  comes  into  the 
valley  through  the  irrigating  canals.     This  water  contains  a  great  deal 


Fig. 


14. — Main    canal    carrying   water    from    Colorado 
River  into  Imperial  Valley. 


of  silt  deposit ;  so  that  it  has  a  muddy  appearance.  On  account  of  this 
large  amount  of  silt  in  the  water  it  is  not  palatable  for  drinking  pur- 
poses, and  to  overcome  the  turbidity  the  water  is  allowed  to  stand  in 


FlO.   15. — Settling  basin  used  for  water  supply  for  live  stock. 


Bulletin  219]       IMPERIAL  COUNTY  LIVE  STOCK  CONDITIONS. 


1219 


settling  basins  three  to  four  feet  in  depth  in  order  that  the  sediment  may 
sink  to  the  bottom  leaving  the  water  clear  towards  the  surface. 

When  fresh  this  water  is  palatable  and  pure,  as  no  animals  are  allowed 


Fig.  16. — Ducks  and  other  animals  should  be  kept  away  from  settling  basins. 

to  come  in  contact  with  it  in  the  canals.  On  the  farm,  however,  it  is 
frequently  poorly  handled  on  account  of  the  methods  adopted  almost 
entirely  throughout  the  valley  of  storing  water  in  settling  basins,  where 
it  is  not  kept  perfectly  clean  and  healthful. 


Fig.    17. — Pumping   water   from    settling    basin    to    storage    tank. 

The  settling  basins  are  generally  constructed  by  scraping  off  the  sur- 
face of  the  ground  to  form  a  basin  three  to  four  feet  in  depth  and  from 


1220  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA — EXPERIMENT  STATION. 

200  to  2,000  square  feet  in  area.  The  water  from  the  canals  is  allowed 
to  run  into  these  settling  basins,  but  there  is  seldom  an  outlet  through 
which  the  stagnant  water  that  has  been  left  in  the  basin  can  be  removed. 
The  settling  basins  are  seldom  shaded,  so  that  the  water  in  summer 
becomes  very  warm,  and,  consequently,  is  not  palatable  for  man  or 
beast.  Fungi  and  insects  of  various  kinds  thrive  in  this  warm  stagnant 
water,  so  that  it  may  become  reddish  or  greenish  over  the  surface,  or  it 
may  have  a  slimy  appearance. 


Fig.  18. — Settling  basin  used  for  water  supply,  covered  with  fungi  and  vegetation. 

Impure  water  for  the  use  of  live  stock  encourages  disease,  and  aggra- 
vates disease  conditions  which  may  already  be  present.  There  is  abso- 
lutely no  question  but  that  the  live  stock  in  general  in  Imperial  County 
would  be  more  thrifty,  and  the  diseases  of  live  stock  which  are  present 
in  the  valley  would  be  as  troublesome,  if  the  water  supply  for  such 
stock  was  improved. 

The  following  steps  may  be  taken  to  improve  the  water  supply  in 
Imperial  Valley : 

First — Where  settling  basins  are  used  they  should  have  an  outlet  as 
well  as  an  inlet,  so  that  the  water  may  be  changed  completely  at  frequent 
intervals,  and  thus  prevent  its  becoming  stagnant. 

Second — Vegetation  should  not  be  allowed  to  grow  in  the  water  in 
settling  basins. 

Third — Cement  or  concrete  cisterns  should  be  constructed  so  that  the 
water  can  be  stored  after  settling. 

The  water  is  free  from  sediment  when  it  enters  the  cisterns  and  can 
be  kept  clean.    Water  kept  beneath  the  ground  in  these  cisterns  has  been 


Bulletin  210  J      IMPERIAL   COUNTY   LIVE   STOCK   CONDITIONS. 


1221 


found  to  be  at  a  temperature  of  65  degrees  F.  during  the  heat  of  the  day 
in  summer,  and  consequently  it  is  more  palatable  and  healthful  for 
animals  than  the  hot  impure  water  that  is  frequently  found  in  settling 
basins. 

SETTLING    BASIN    AND    CtSTEfT/V 
FOR 

domes  T/c    s  up pl  r 

ZKV//*   fyne  screen  (rent,  Jafor)  ^'rfaJ 


vo^  rGroond    Level r-jf 


5£TTLING       BAS/N 


&o/tom     dimensions     S'*/z' 


Top     ofimcns/ons  //' x  /8  ' 

ffo/fs    and   bottom    of   cistern    ore   composed    of  mortar 
of  /port    cement  to    of; out  S  ports  sand  (ond  sma/f 
Oroiref  tf  obfomoAfeJ.    /Tartar    in   wafts   pfosfered  d/reeffy 
to  tvet  earfA   surface    to    th/cAness  of  oAo/jf"  /  inch 
Cistern   hofds    2//.S  goffons  per  ft.    of  Ae/pAf  or  afoot  SOO 
ya/fons    to   tfie  he/ijAf    of  fAe  entrance  pip? 
•Setftinq    basins     dug    /n    earth     rY/fA    ~side    sfopes  of    /  on  / .      JVaffs 
mesh     or  .screen/ no ,   rvnich      nv/ff  a'/d    in   rapport/no    fAe 
piaster    and  sfrengtAen   tf/e    wot/.        The   intoAe   pipe    /s    mode    op  *Y/fA    a   Zoos e 
f iff  ma     Tee    and  a    riser  pfpe  .      7f/e    .Tee     a/forvs    tne    r/ser   fb   6e  moreaf    aarvn.. 
Tfie   riser  pipe   fios    smoff  fio/es    drifted    in  if    and    a    s-creen  pp/aeed   arc  end  /t fa 
pre  yen  f    J  tic  As,  etc  ■   from   entering  tfe     cistern.         The    smoff   c /'stern    toAes     22  cuff 
of p  foster    ond   the    forge    c/sfern    Takes    /So   ct>.  ft.  of  concrete. 


Gene  rot  Afofes:-  ^eTTJ/n/g    oasins     day    /n 
reinforced     rv/fh    yv/re    mesh     or  screening 


SETTLtNG    BASfN  AND    CfSTEflfV 

FO/? 
SUPFLrtfYG    STCCff 

*ScsU.£  :  -  X»  IrHt/l  »  /  //. 
Seat.     /°/o . 

.  H.a.r. 


Fig.  19. 


Bottom    dimensions    /8x43 
Top     dimensions  24' "49' 

Waffs     ond  bottom  of  cistern    ore    composed    of  concrete  of 
/part  of  cement   fo   about    7  Darts    or  sand    ond  graref  • 
Concrete  fa  id    jn  forms    and  fo/'d  3  to  4  /Aches    in    fAicfness 
Cistern    hofds    846  goffons  per   ft.  of  Ac/jhf   or  about  /2S~o 
yoffons    to  the  he/'yAt  of  fAe   enfronee    pipe . 

-The  above  diagrams  show  a  good  method  of  constructing  concrete 
cisterns  for  the  storage  of  water. 


As  shown  in  the  above  diagrams,  the  fresh  canal  water  is  allowed  to 
run  into  the  settling  basin  where  it  should  stand  for  twelve  hours  or 
more  to  allow  the  sediment  to  settle  to  the  bottom.     The  clear  surface 


1222 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION. 


water  is  then  allowed  to  flow  into  the  concrete  cistern  and  the  settling 
basin  then  left  to  dry  until  the  cistern  is  ready  to  be  refilled.  This  tends 
to  prevent  the  growth  of  plant  life  and  insects  in  the  settling  basins. 

The  water  can  be  removed  from  the  cistern  by  means  of  hand  pumps, 
windmills,  or  gasoline  engines.  Many  people  in  Imperial  County  are  of 
the  opinion  that  the  wind  in  the  valley  is  not  constant  enough  through- 
out the  year  to  make  the  use  of  windmills  reliable. 

The  cost  of  constructing  the  cement  cistern  shown  in  diagram  No.  1, 
which  is  recommended  for  the  storage  of  water  for  household  supply, 
has  been  estimated  at  $40.00. 

Although  there  are 
comparatively  few 
windmills  being  used, 
the  experience  of 
those  using  them,  as 
shown  by  the  follow- 
ing data,  seems  suffi- 
cient evidence  of  the 
fact  that  they  are  of 
practical  use  in  that 
section  for  pumping 
water : 

1.  Mr.  A.  —  Using 
five  windmills  and 
five  2,000-gallon  tanks 
in  which  water  is 
stored  for  cattle.  The 
windmills  have 
pumped  water  for 
hundreds  of  cattle 
and  he  has  not  been 
short  at  any  time. 

2.  Mr.  B. — With  one  windmill  and  a  1,000-gallon  tank  supplied  water 
satisfactorily  for  six  horses  and  the  household. 

3.  Mr.  C. — One  windmill  pumped  water  for  household  use  and  was 
satisfactory,  except  that  the  tank  not  being  covered  allowed  the  water  to 
get  hot  in  summer. 

4.  Mr.  D. — Has  one  windmill  and  is  satisfied  with  it. 

5.  Mr.  E. — Has  one  windmill  raising  water  to  tank  thirty  feet  high, 
also  has  electric  motor  for  emergency,  but  has  not  had  occasion  to  use 
it  during  the  past  two  years. 

6.  Mr.  F. — Has  one  windmill  and  tank  for  stock  and  household  use, 
and  reports  it  satisfactory  at  all  times. 

7.  Brawley  City — Used  windmill  for  over  two  years,  which  supplied 
all  the  water  for  domestic  purposes  for  about  five  hundred  people. 


'  "  % 

afip 

i 

jhJE/*  - 

m>  * 

■ 

Fig.   20. — Windmills  and  tanks  near   Calexico   used 
for  supplying  water  for  live  stock. 


Bulletin  219]      IMPERIAL  COUNTY  LIVE  STOCK  CONDITIONS.  1223 

REPORT  Or  SPECIAL  INVESTIGATIONS  IN  IMPERIAL  COUNTY, 
JUNE  5  TO  15,  1911. 


By  F.  M.  Hayes,  D.V.M. 

Since  Dr.  Roadhouse  made  his  investigation  of  the  live  stock  industry 
in  Imperial  County,  as  recorded  in  the  preceding  pages,  the  Veterinary 
Division  of  the  California  Agricultural  Experiment  Station  has  received 
many  letters  from  residents  of  the  valley,  indicating  that  there  existed 
a  serious  disease  among  the  hogs  which  was  the  cause  of  no  little  alarm 
to  the  men  interested  in  this  branch  of  animal  industry  in  the  valley. 
The  writer  was  subsequently  authorized  to  make  an  investigation,  and, 
if  possible,  to  determine  the  cause  of  the  disease.  In  addition  to  this 
investigation,  the  general  condition  of  all  kinds  of  live  stock  was  to  be 
studied  as  well  as  could  be  in  the  limited  space  of  time  allowed,  and 
whatever  help  possible  was  to  be  extended  to  the  growers. 

This  report  deals  particularly  with  the  disease  that  has  been  respon- 
sible for  the  loss  of  so  many  hogs,  and  suggests  methods  of  relieving  the 
condition.  The  investigation  had  not  proceeded  far  when  it  appeared 
evident  that  most  of  the  losses,  during  the  spring  and  early  summer 
months,  were  produced  by  an  attenuated  form  of  hog  cholera.  A  seem- 
ing peculiarity  of  this  type  of  cholera  was  that  it  attacked  mostly  the 
little  pigs  just  before  or  shortly  after  weaning  time,  and  that  the 
infected  pigs  often  lingered  from  ten  days  to  two  or  three  weeks, 
and  some  even  recovered.  Many  of  the  larger  hogs  were  entirely  immune 
to  attacks.  This  condition,  however,  was  not  constant  because  herds 
were  located  in  which  the  type  was  particularly  virulent ;  the  large  hogs 
snd  shoats  dying  rapidly.  During  the  investigations,  June  5  to  15,  1911, 
twenty-six  hog  ranches  were  visited,  on  which  there  was  a  total  of  about 
ten  thousand  hogs;  twenty-one  post-mortems  were  held.  On  these  hog 
ranches  approximately  two  thousand  hogs,  mostly  small  pigs,  have  died 
during  the  spring.  An  effort  was  made  to  examine  hogs  on  ranches 
where  diverse  methods  of  handling  prevailed  in  order  to  study  the 
disease  under  different  conditions  and  to  note  the  effect  of  each. 

DISEASES  OF  LIVE  STOCK  NOT  DESCRIBED  IN  THE  PRECEDING  REPORT. 

Hog  Cholera*. 
Hog  cholera  is  due  to  infection  with  a  specific  virus  and  can  not  occur 
except  through  the  transmission  of  infectious  material  from  diseased  to 
susceptible  hogs. 

Causes  of  the  disease : 

The  causes  of  hog  cholera  may  be  divided  into  two  classes:  first,  the 
predisposing  conditions,  usually  known  as  accessory  causes ;  and,  second, 
3— bul.  219 


1224  UNIVERSITY  OF   CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION. 

the  exciting  cause,  which  is  an  invisible  germ,  so  small  that  it  has  not 
even  been  removed  from  the  tissues  by  the  finest  filter. 

A  brief  outline  of  the  causes  of  this  disease  with  special  reference  to 
the  conditions  in  Imperial  Valley  would  seem  to  be  important  at  this 
point  for  at  least  two  reasons :  first,  so  that  the  hog-raiser  might  be  able 
to  recognize  conditions  that  would  predispose  hogs  to  cholera,  and 
knowing  these  conditions,  intelligent  methods  may  be  inaugurated 
toward  prevention  before  the  disease  has  appeared;  second,  after  the 
disease  appears  in  the  herds  in  the  neighborhood,  that  proper  measures 
for  preventing  well  hogs  from  becoming  infected,  and  efficient  disinfec- 
tion of  carcasses,  bedding  and  pens  may  be  undertaken. 

In  considering  the  causes  of  any  infectious  disease,  the  first,  and, 
particularly  in  this  valley,  the  most  important,  are  the  accessory  or 
predisposing  causes.  Among  them  may  be  mentioned  (1)  colds  and 
other  congestion  produced  by  lack  of  shelter  during  cool  nights  that 
follow  warm  or  hot  days ;  (2)  insufficient  shelter  during  very  hot  weather 
has  a  tendency  to  weaken  the  natural  resistance  of  hogs  to  disease; 
(3)  improper  feeding,  such  as  unbalanced  rations  causing  alterations 
in  nutrition  and  intestinal  troubles;  (4)  impure  water  for  drinking 
purposes.  The  hog  requires  clean  water,  just  as  much  as  any  animal, 
for  proper  growth  and  development.  Stagnant  water  is  a  favorable 
place  for  the  multiplication  of  most  bacteria  and  fungi  that  happen  to 
be  present  in  it;  (5)  the  free  access  to  muddy  wallows  during  all  times 
of  the  year.  Many  of  these  wallows  in  Imperial  Valley  are  made  by 
excavating  an  area,  filling  it  with  water  from  an  irrigating  ditch,  and 
the  hogs  are  then  allowed  to  lie  in  the  mud  that  forms,  and  even  to 
drink  the  water.  In  some  regions  this  mud  clings  to  them  for  days. 
Wallows  are  unnecessary  at  any  time,  except,  possibly,  during  the 
extremely  hot  weather  that  prevails  in  Imperial  Valley  during  the 
summer,  and  even  then  they  are  of  doubtful  benefit;  (6)  insanitary 
condition  of  pens  used  for  farrowing.  These  are  the  places  where  the 
little  pigs  first  find  their  enemies  of  health.  In  pens  that  are  dirty,  non- 
disinfected,  dusty  or  muddy  lie  opportunities  for  the  breeding  of  exter- 
nal and  internal  parasitic  diseases,  intestinal  troubles,  sore  mouth,  sore 
eyes,  etc.,  all  of  which  tend  to  weaken  the  hog  and  lessen  his  immunity 
to  cholera. 

Hogs  subject  to  predisposing  conditions  as  above  mentioned  are  ready 
victims  to  the  exciting  cause  of  cholera.  Hog  cholera  is  a  disease  which 
is  highly  infectious  among  hogs,  and  spreads  from  herd  to  herd  with 
great  rapidity.  All  of  the  bodily  secretions  and  excretions  are  supposed 
to  be  capable  of  producing  the  disease,  but  more  especially  the  urine  and 
intestinal  excretions.  Hogs  not  yet  infected  are  thus  exposed  to  this 
virulent  material  by  contact  with  sick  hogs  in  the  same  field.  Often 
when  a  hog  dies  in  a  herd  the  owner  thinks  little  of  it,  and  fails  to 


BULLETIN  219]       IMPERIAL    COUNTY   LIVE   STOCK    CONDITIONS.  1225 

destroy  the  carcass,  either  leaving  it  for  his  hogs  to  eat  or  throwing  it 
outside  the  field.  Here  crows,  buzzards,  dogs,  rabbits,  or  other  animals 
feed  upon  it,  carrying  away  bits  of  it  on  the  beaks  or  claws  to  some  other 
hogpen  and  set  up  another  center  of  disease.  The  same  may  take  place 
by  feeding  upon  the  excretions  of  sick  hogs.  Attendants  are  often 
responsible  for  the  spread  of  cholera  by  walking  through  infected  pens 
and  then  visiting  a  neighboring  herd.  Another  fruitful  source  of  scat- 
tering cholera  is  by  streams  of  water.  Many  outbreaks  have  occurred 
along  the  course  of  a  stream  of  water  that  has  flowed  through  diseased 
pens.  This  latter  has  an  especial  significance  in  irrigated  regions 
because  this  water  may  be  used  for  irrigating  and  the  infection  spread 
over  large  areas  or  carried  from  one  farm  to  another.  This  is  probably 
responsible  for  many  of  the  outbreaks  in  Imperial  Valley,  because,  either 
from  gross  negligence  or  from  ignorance  of  the  existence  of  cholera, 
many  farmers  have  allowed  dead  hogs  to  lie  in  fields  over  which  irriga- 
tion water  flows,  or  have  disposed  of  the  hogs  by  throwing  them  in  or 
alongside  an  irrigating  ditch.  One  case  was  noted  where  a  wagon  load 
of  dead  pigs  had  been  deposited  at  the  edge  of  the  desert  as  a  feast  for 
crows,  buzzards,  and  other  animals. 

Symptoms  and  Post-mortem  Appearances.  Although  the  symptoms 
<ind  lesions  of  hog  cholera  may  vary  in  different  herds,  and  in  individual 
hogs  of  the  same  herd,  under  varying  conditions  of  feeding,  watering, 
handling,  climate,  season,  housing,  natural  resistance,  and  mixed  infec- 
tions, yet  there  are  a  few  symptoms  of  which  the  farmer  may  become 
suspicious  and  lesions  of  which  he  may  be  certain. 

The  most  common  symptoms  are  loss  of  appetite,  lassitude,  and  a 
disposition  to  lie  with  the  head  under  the  litter  with  no  desire  to  follow 
the  herd  in  feeding.  The  back  may  be  arched  and  the  bristles  erected. 
Accompanying  this  there  may  be  a  cough  and  a  discharge  from  the  eyes 
and  nose.  In  dusty  pens,  or  if  the  hog  has  access  to  muddy  water,  this 
discharge  from  the  eyes  becomes  hardened,  completely  closing  the  eyes, 
and  causing  an  irritation  which  often  results  in  loss  of  sight.  During 
this  time  the  bodily  temperature  has  risen;  constipation,  or  diarrhoea, 
usually  of  a  yellowish  color,  is  present,  and  the  hog  has  difficulty  in 
supporting  itself  upon  its  hind  legs,  swaying  from  side  to  side  as  he 
attempts  to  walk.  His  head  and  ears  hang  down,  exhibiting  the  general 
appearance  of  little  energy.  This  condition  may  last  from  four  to  four- 
teen days,  or  even  longer,  depending  upon  the  virulence  of  the  infecting 
agent  and  the  resistance  of  the  animal.  Death  may  take  place  without 
the  knowledge  of  premonitory  symptoms. 

All  farmers  should  either  post-mortem  every  hog  that  dies  under 
circumstances  at  all  suspicious,  or  have  the  work  done  by  a  competent 
veterinarian,  who  should  be  able  to  recognize  any  lesions  indicating  the 
presence  of  an  infectious  disease  in  the  herd.     These  conditions,   if 


1226  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT   STATION. 

recognized  early  and  proper  methods  of  isolation  instituted,  might  pre- 
vent the  general  dissemination  of  the  disease  throughout  the  herd. 

In  cases  of  hog  cholera  the  lesions  will  vary  according  to  the  course 
of  the  disease,  but  the  following  are  usually  present :  The  skin  along  the 
belly,  between  the  hams  and  around  the  ears,  often  shows  a  reddish- 
purple  discoloration.  Slight  inflammation  of  the  bladder  is  present 
and  is  shown  by  redness  of  its  lining ;  hemorrhagic  spots  appear  on  the 
kidneys  varying  in  size  from  the  point  to  the  head  of  a  pin.  The  kid- 
neys may  be  thickly  covered  with  these  spots  or  possibly  only  a  few  of 
them  may  be  seen  by  stripping  off  the  envelope  of  the  kidney.  The 
spleen  is  usually  enlarged,  congested,  black  and  friable.  Inflammation 
of  the  intestines,  more  especially  the  mucous  membrane  of  the  caecum 
or  beginning  of  the  large  intestine,  often  occurs.  This  inflammation 
may  be  diffuse  or  in  the  form  of  ulcers,  depending  upon  whether  the 
acute  or  the  chronic  type  of  the  disease  exists.  Diffuse  inflammation 
of  the  inner  surface  of  the  stomach,  congestion  of  the  lymphatic  glands 
along  the  intestines  and  between  the  lungs,  hemorrhagic  spots  on  the 
lungs  varying  from  one  eighth  inch  to  entire  congestion  of  all  the  lobes 
with  accompanying  loss  of  function,  is  frequently  seen.  Inflammation 
of  the  covering  of  the  heart  may  also  exist.  Examination  for  these 
changes  should  be  made  as  soon  as  possible  after  death  of  the  animal. 
Diagnosis  may  be  more  certain  by  destroying  a  very  sick  pig  and  an 
examination  made. 

Treatment.  This  consists  largely  of  prevention  because  no  known 
drug  has  been  demonstrated  to  cure  hog  cholera.  Prevention  may  be 
carried  out  along  the  following  lines:  (1)  By  procuring  a  knowledge 
of  conditions  that  predispose  to  cholera  as  suggested  under  predisposing 
causes  and  avoiding  them  as  far  as  possible;  (2)  By  thorough  disinfec- 
tion of  dead  pigs,  pens,  and  bedding,  in  fact,  everything  that  has  come 
in  contact  with  the  diseased  animals;  (3)  By  vaccination  with  a  serum 
prepared  from  the  blood  of  a  highly  immunized  hog.  This  serum  has 
given  uniformly  good  results  in  other  states  when  applied  to  well  hogs, 
and  the  Agricultural  Experiment  Station  of  the  University  of  California 
will  be  prepared  in  the  near  future  to  supply  this  serum  for  vaccination 
at  a  cost  that  will  mean  thousands  of  dollars  saved  to  the  hog  owner. 

Sore  Mouth  in  Pigs.  This  is  a  condition  found  only  in  little  pigs 
during  the  suckling  period.  Abrasions  of  the  lips  and  mucous  membrane 
of  the  mouth  are  caused  by  the  sharp  teeth  of  the  pig,  and  by  fighting 
to  reach  the  mother's  udder.  Infection  usually  follows  from  dirt  in  the 
pens  and  mud  on  the  teats  of  the  sow.  This  condition  has  been  referred 
to  in  the  preceding  report. 

Symptoms.  If  caused  by  the  pigs'  own  teeth,  the  abrasion  usually 
takes  place  on  the  sides  of  the  mouth  which  come  in  contact  with  the 
sharp  canine  teeth.     If  from  fighting  one  another,  the  lesion  may  be 


Bulletin  219]      IMPERIAL  COUNTY  LIVE  STOCK   CONDITIONS.  1227 

located  any  place  on  the  lips  or  mouth.  When  infection  takes  place 
necrosis  begins,  and  parts  of  the  lips  may  slough  away  with  the  forma- 
tion of  a  disagreeable  odor.  Inflammation  may  extend  all  around  the 
lips  and  snout  with  considerable  swelling. 

Treatment.  When  this  condition  is  discovered  the  infected  pigs 
should  be  treated  individually  by  a  thorough  disinfection  of  the  wounds 
with  five  per  cent  carbolic  acid,  cresol  or  some  like  efficient  disinfectant. 
Tincture  of  iodine  painted  on  the  area  after  cleansing  will  often  check 
the  extension  and  promote  healing.  The  pigs  should  be  treated  daily 
until  relieved  and  kept  in  as  clean  quarters  as  possible.  The  mother's 
udder  should  be  washed  in  a  disinfectant  as  an  additional  precaution. 

Diarrhea  in  Little  Pigs.  The  cause  of  this  trouble  is  usually  an 
abrupt  change  of  feed,  either  of  the  mother  or  of  the  pigs.  An  exclusive 
diet  of  alfalfa  is  responsible  for  some  of  the  intestinal  irritation,  shown 
by  a  watery  green  diarrhea  appearing  a  few  days  after  feeding  upon 
alfalfa.  Most  of  the  animals  recover  after  several,  days  purging,  but 
some  succumb  from  weakness.  Another  source  of  the  trouble  is  dirty, 
unsanitary  surroundings  with  stagnant  water  for  drinking  purposes. 

Treatment  naturally  should  consist  in  a  change  of  the  conditions  so 
far  as  possible.  A  change  of  feed  should  be  given  gradually,  and  in 
alfalfa  feeding  a  little  grain  is  indicated  until  the  pigs  become  accus- 
tomed to  the  alfalfa  ration. 

Chronic  Cough  of  Swine.  In  hot,  dry  and  dusty  regions,  as  well  as 
in  a  cold,  damp  climate,  this  condition  prevails  in  shoats  and  to  a  less 
extent  in  large  hogs.  The  dust  irritates  the  bronchial  tubes  and  lungs 
and  produces  a  deep  cough.  Pigs  are  not  usually  very  sick  unless  com- 
plications arise,  which  is  frequently  the  case,  but  it  causes  an  unthrifty 
condition  and  the  growth  is  not  satisfactory. 

The  treatment  should  consist  of  isolation  of  the  sick  hogs  by  removing 

the  well  ones.    The  pens  should  be  disinfected  and  free  from  dust.     A 

tonic  condition  powder  is  recommended  in  this  trouble  as  well  as  in 

diarrhoea.    The  following  powder  is  endorsed  by  the  U.  S.  Department 

of  Agriculture : 

Wood   charcoal    1  pound. 

Sulphur   1  pound. 

Antimony  sulphide 1  pound. 

Common  salt 2  pounds. 

Sodium  bicarbonate   2  pounds. 

Sodium   hyposulphite   2  pounds. 

Sodium  sulphate 1  pound. 

A  teaspoonful  to  every  100  pounds  of  hog  should  be  mixed  in  the 
feed  once  each  day. 

Blackleg  in  Calves.  A  few  cases  of  blackleg  have  been  reported  from 
Imperial  County,  but  the  situation  is  being  controlled  by  the  use  of 


1228  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION. 

blackleg  vaccine,  which  is  an  efficient  method  of  combating  the  disease. 
A  circular  describing  this  disease  and  the  method  for  its  prevention  can 
be  obtained  by  application  to  the  Director  of  the  Agricultural  Experi- 
ment Station,  Berkeley,  California. 

Bronchitis  in  Calves.  A  number  of  farmers  have  reported  the  loss 
of  a  few  calves  from  this  trouble.  It  is  brought  about  by  lack  of  shelter 
during  the  extremely  hot  days  of  the  summer  and  cool  nights  in  the 
winter.  Either  extreme  heat  or  cold  is  likely  to  produce  congestion. 
This,  combined  with  the  dust  found  in  Imperial  Valley,  is  sufficient  to 
cause  an  inflammation  of  the  air  passages.  In  some  cases  a  chronic  form 
develops.  Pneumonia  and  pus  foci  in  the  lungs  are  complications  which 
may  follow. 

Symptoms.  Calves  affected  will  show  a  general  feverish  condition 
with  a  rise  of  temperature ;  serous  discharge  from  the  nose  followed  by 
a  mucus ;  the  back  is  often  arched,  the  hair  rough ;  eyes  watery  and  red, 
and  a  moist,  deep  cough  which  is  aggravated  by  pressure  on  the  trachea 
or  over  the  lungs.    Constipation  may  be  present. 

Treatment.  The  causes  should  be  removed  as  far  as  possible.  Shelter 
should  be  provided  from  the  hot  sun  and  from  draughts  during  the  cool 
night.  Medicinal  treatment  may  consist  of  two  or  three  ounces  of 
Epsom  salts  with  one  dram  of  ginger  given  as  a  drench  in  milk.  Hot 
inhalations  of  creosote  may  relieve  the  congestion  along  the  air  passages. 
The  disease  is  not  usually  fatal,  terminating  in  recovery  in  five  or  ten 
days  if  no  complications  arise.  A  three  per  cent  boric  acid  solution 
applied  to  the  inflamed  eyes  will  check  the  inflammation. 

Some  Methods  of  Disinfection  Following  Infectious  Diseases.  In  all 
places  where  an  infectious  disease  has  occurred,  thorough  disinfection 
of  all  the  premises  should  take  place.  A  good  disinfectant,  such  as 
creolin,  cresol  or  some  of  the  reliable  coal  tar  dips  on  the  market  or 
kerosene  emulsion,  the  preparation  of  which  is  given  in  the  first  part  of 
this  bulletin,  should  be  used.  All  litter  and  bedding  may  be  piled  and 
burned.  The  disinfectants  should  then  be  applied  with  a  spray  pump. 
Slaked  lime  should  be  thrown  on  the  ground  or  floor  after  the  disinfec- 
tion. Lots  or  pastures  too  large  to  disinfect  in  this  manner  may  be 
plowed  up  and  sown  to  a  crop  or  allowed  to  stand  unpastured  for  a  year. 
In  a  diseased  herd  the  well  animals  should  be  sprayed  or  dipped  with  a 
disinfectant  and  taken  from  the  sick  quarters  to  clean  disinfected  pens. 
Carcasses  of  dead  animals  should  either  be  buried  six  feet  under  ground 
or  burned  to  ashes,  preferably  the  latter.  Quarantine  pens  ought  to  be 
maintained  in  which  new  stock  purchased  should  remain  for  at  least  four 
weeks,  previously  being  subjected  to  a  spray  of  disinfectant. 


Bulletin  219]      IMPERIAL   COUNTY   LIVE  STOCK   CONDITIONS.  1229 

Summary.  From  the  writer's  (F.  M.  Hayes)  investigations  in 
Imperial  Valley,  the  following  conclusions  have  been  drawn : 

(1)  Imperial  Valley  possesses  excellent  conditions  for  the  production 
of  live  stock. 

(2)  In  1910,  35,000  of  the  500,000  hogs  in  California  were  in  this 
valley,  which  demonstrates  the  importance  of  this  industry  in  a  region 
but  ten  years  old. 

(3)  Animal  diseases  are  not  more  prevalent  in  Imperial  County  than 
elsewhere.  Aside  from  the  hog  troubles  mentioned  in  this  paper  little 
disease  exists. 

(4)  The  standard  of  hogs  should  be  raised.  The  average  type  of  hog 
existing  in  the  valley  is  not  the  most  economical  pork  producer.  In- 
breeding and  cross-breeding  are  practiced  to  the  detriment  of  profitable 
hog  raising. 

(5)  Infection  was  allowed  to  spread,  and  hogs  died  unnecessarily 
because  of  ignorance  of  the  existence  of  an  infectious  disease.  Improper 
disposal  of  the  carcasses  of  dead  hogs  and  contaminated  irrigation  water, 
were  also  responsible  for  its  dissemination. 

(6)  Many  hog  raisers  maintain  an  unnecessary  settling  basin  in  which 
the  hogs  wallow.  The  water  becomes  stagnant,  unhealthy  for  drinking 
purposes,  and  the  mud  clinging  to  the  bodies  of  the  hogs  is  a  menace  to 
their  health.  An  improvement  in  these  basins,  if  they  are  allowed  to 
exist  at  all  for  hogs,  is  the  concrete  or  board  runway  into  the  water,  with 
fencing  to  keep  the  hogs  from  the  mud.  In  addition,  frequent  changing 
of  the  water  is  necessary.  These  basins  should  be  for  the  purpose  of 
furnishing  clean,  cool  water  to  animals  according  to  plans  similar  to 
those  of  the  preceding  report. 

(7)  Sufficient  shelter  is  not  provided  for  hogs  and  other  animals.  In 
order  to  avoid  the  sun,  the  hogs  and  sheep  crowd  under  these  inadequate 
shelters,  stirring  up  irritating  dust  to  be  breathed. 

(8)  In  a  large  number  of  cases  the  herds  of  hogs  are  too  large  to  be 
managed  by  the  few  men  in  charge,  and  proper  attention  to  cleanliness 
and  feeding  can  not  be  shown  during  farrowing  time. 

(9)  If  some  of  the  precautions  mentioned  in  this  report  are  observed 
and  anti-hog  cholera  serum  used  when  necessary,  the  number  of  hogs 
lost  in  the  future  will  be  materially  reduced  and  the  profits  proportion- 
ally increased. 


REPORTS. 

1896.  Report  of  the  Viticultural  Work  during  the  seasons  1887-93,  with  data  regard- 

ing the  Vintages  of  1894-95. 

1897.  Resistant  Vines,  their  Selection,  Adaptation,  and  Grafting.     Appendix  to  Viti- 

cultural Report  for  1896. 

1902.  Report  of  the   Agricultural   Experiment   Station   for   1898-1901. 

1903.  Report  of  the  Agricultural  Experiment  Station  for  1901-03. 

1904.  Twenty-second  Report  of  the  Agricultural  Experiment  Station  for  1903-04. 


BULLETINS. 


Reprint.  Endurance    of    Drought    in    Soils 

of   the   Arid   Region. 
No.   128.  Nature,    Value,    and    Utilization 
of  Alkali  Lands,  and  Tolerance 
of  Alkali.      (Revised   and   Re- 
print,   1905.) 

133.  Tolerance    of    Alkali   by    Various 
Cultures. 

147.  Culture    Work    of    the    Sub-sta- 
tions. 

149.  California    Sugar   Industry. 

151.  Arsenical    Insecticides. 

152.  Fumigation  Dosage. 

153.  Spraying  with   Distillates. 

154.  Sulfur  Sprays  for  Red  Spider. 
159.  Contributio     nto     the     Study     of 

Fermentation. 
162.  Commercial     Fertilizers.        (Dec. 

1,    1904.) 
165.  Asparagus   and    Asparagus    Rust 

in   California. 

167.  Manufacture    of    Dry    Wines    in 

Hot   Countries. 

168.  Observations  on  Some  Vine  Dis- 
eases  in   Sonoma   County. 

169.  Tolerance  of  the  Sugar  Beet  for 

Alkali. 

170.  Studies    in   Grasshopper    Control. 

171.  Commercial     Fertilizers.        (June 

30,    1905.) 

172.  Further  Experience  in  Asparagus 

Rust    Control. 
174.  A  New  Wine-cooling  Machine. 

176.  Sugar  Beets  in  the   San  Joaquin 

Valley. 

177.  A   New   Method   of   Making   Dry 

Red  Wine. 

178.  Mosquito  Control. 

179.  Commercial    Fertilizers.       (June, 

1906.) 

180.  Resistant  Vineyards. 

181.  The  Selection  of  Seed- Wheat. 

182.  Analysis     of     Paris     Green     and 

Lead  Arsenic.     Proposed  Insec- 
ticide Law. 

183.  The  California  Tussock-moth. 

184.  Report   of  the   Plant   Pathologist 

to   July   1,    1906. 

185.  Report     of    Progress     in     Cereal 

Investigations. 

186.  The  Oidium  of  the  Vine. 


No.   187. 

188. 

189. 

190. 
191. 
192. 

193. 
194. 


195. 
197. 


198. 
199. 
200. 

201. 
202. 

203. 

204. 

205. 

206. 

207. 
208. 
209. 
210. 

211. 

212. 
213. 
214. 
215. 

216. 


217. 
218. 


Commercial  Fertilizers.  (Janu- 
ary,  1907.) 

Lining  of  Ditches  and  Reservoirs 
to  Prevent  Seepage  and  Losses" 

Commercial  Fertilizers.  (June, 
1907.) 

The  Brown  Rot  of  the  Lemon. 

California    Peach    Blight. 

Insects  Injurious  to  the  Vine  in 
California. 

The  Best  Wine  Grapes  for  Cali- 
fornia ;  Pruning  Young  Vines  ; 
Pruning  the  Sultanina. 

Commercial  Fertilizers.  (Dec, 
1907.) 

The  California  Grape  Root-worm 

Grape  Culture  in  California ; 
Improved  Methods  of  Wine- 
making  ;  Yeast  from  California 
Grapes. 

The  Grape  Leaf-Hopper. 

Bovine  Tuberculosis. 

Gum  Diseases  of  Citrus  Tres  in 
California.  [1908.) 

Commercial    Fertilizers.       (June, 

Commercial  Fertilizers.  (De- 
cember,   1908.) 

Report  of  the  Plant  Pathologist 
to   July   1,    1909.) 

The  Dairy  Cow's  Record  and  thp 
Stable. 

Commercial  Fertilizers.  (De- 
cember,   1909.) 

Commercial  Fertilizers.  (June, 
1910.) 

The  Control  of  the  Argentine  Ant. 

The  Late  Blight  of  Celery. 

The   Cream   Supply. 

Imperial  Valley  Settlers'  Crop 
Manual. 

How  to  Increase  the  Yield  of 
Wheat    in    California. 

California  White   Wheats. 

The   Principles   of   Wine-making. 

Citrus    Fruit    Insects. 

The  House  Fly  in  its  Relation 
to  Public  Health. 

A  Progress  Report  Upon  Soil 
and  Climatic  Factors  Influenc- 
ing the  Composition  of  Wheat. 

Honey  Plants  of  California. 

California   Plant  Diseases. 


4— bul.  219 


CIRCULARS. 


No.   1. 

3. 

5. 

7. 

9. 
11. 
12. 
15. 

19. 
29. 


30. 
32. 

3  3. 

35. 


36. 

39. 

46. 

47. 
4  8. 
19. 
50. 
51. 


Texas    Fever. 

Hog  Cholera. 

Contagious  Abortion  in  Cows. 

Remedies  for  Insects. 

Asparagus    Rust. 

Fumigation  Practice. 

Silk  Culture. 

Recent  Problems  in  Agriculture. 
What  a  University  Farm  is  For. 

Disinfection  of  Stables. 

Preliminary  Announcement  Con- 
cerning Instruction  in  Practical 
Agriculture  upon  the  University 
Farm,  Davis,  Cal. 

White  Fly  in  California. 

White   Fly   Eradication. 

Packing  Prunes  in  Cans.  Cane 
Sugar  vs.  Beet  Sugar. 

Southern  California  Pathological 
Laboratory  and  Citrus  Experi- 
ment Station. 

Anaylses  of  Fertilizers  for  Con- 
sumers. 

Instruction  in  Practical  Agricul- 
ture at  the  University  Farm. 

Suggestions  for  Garden  Work  in 
California  Schools. 

Agriculture  in  the  High  Schools. 

Butter  Scoring  Contest,   1909. 

Insecticides. 

Fumigation    Scheduling. 

University  Farm  School. 


No.   52.   Information  for  Students  Concern- 
ing the  College  of  Agriculture. 

53.  Announcement  of  Farmers'   Short 

Courses   for    1910.  [Tests. 

54.  Some     Creamery     Problems     and 

55.  Farmers'  Instiutes  and  University 

Extension    in   Agriculture. 

57.  Announcement  of  Farmers'   Short 

Courses  in  Animal  Industry  and 
Veterinary  Science. 

58.  Experiments  with  Plants  and  Soils 

in      Laboratory,      Garden,      and 
Field. 

59.  Tree      Growing      in      the      Public 

Schools. 
Butter-Scoring   Contest   1910. 
University  Farm   School. 

62.  The  School  Garden  in  the  Course 
of  Study. 

63.  How  to  Make  an  Observation  Hive. 

64.  Announcement   of  Farmers'   Short 
Courses  for  1911. 

65.  California  Insecticide  Law. 

66.  Insecticides  and  Insect  Control. 
Development  of  Secondary  School 

Agriculture  in  California. 

The  Prevention  of  Hog  Cholera. 

The  Extermination  of  Morning- 
glory. 

Observations  on  Status  of  Corn- 
growing  in  California. 


60. 
61. 


67. 


•it. 


